gbt is the largest fully steerable radio telescope on the planet it’s one of the
telescope on the planet it’s one of the
telescope on the planet it’s one of the largest moving structures on land it
largest moving structures on land it
largest moving structures on land it stands 485 feet above ground level which
stands 485 feet above ground level which
stands 485 feet above ground level which makes it taller than the Statue of
makes it taller than the Statue of
makes it taller than the Statue of Liberty weighs almost 17 million pounds
Liberty weighs almost 17 million pounds
Liberty weighs almost 17 million pounds so with 16 wheels more than a million
so with 16 wheels more than a million
so with 16 wheels more than a million pounds per wheel is transferred to the
pounds per wheel is transferred to the
pounds per wheel is transferred to the foundation like a bigger bucket collects
foundation like a bigger bucket collects
foundation like a bigger bucket collects more raindrops the gbts large surface
more raindrops the gbts large surface
more raindrops the gbts large surface area can collect more radio waves from
area can collect more radio waves from
area can collect more radio waves from space the reflecting area is 2.3 acres
space the reflecting area is 2.3 acres
space the reflecting area is 2.3 acres so a football stadium would fit inside
so a football stadium would fit inside
so a football stadium would fit inside of that so radio telescopes are just one
of that so radio telescopes are just one
of that so radio telescopes are just one window onto the universe so you think
window onto the universe so you think
window onto the universe so you think about astronomy often people think about
about astronomy often people think about
about astronomy often people think about your classic optical telescope something
your classic optical telescope something
your classic optical telescope something you can stick your your eye up to and
you can stick your your eye up to and
you can stick your your eye up to and you can look through and you get to look
you can look through and you get to look
you can look through and you get to look at a picture of a galaxy a radio
at a picture of a galaxy a radio
at a picture of a galaxy a radio telescope is the exact same idea only
telescope is the exact same idea only
telescope is the exact same idea only instead of looking at the optical waves
instead of looking at the optical waves
instead of looking at the optical waves the stuff that you can see with your eye
the stuff that you can see with your eye
the stuff that you can see with your eye it’s looking at radio waves
we’re trying to take the principles the
we’re trying to take the principles the things we understand about chemistry
things we understand about chemistry
things we understand about chemistry from the laboratory and apply those to
from the laboratory and apply those to
from the laboratory and apply those to molecules in space understand how you
molecules in space understand how you
molecules in space understand how you can build up things that lead to the
can build up things that lead to the
can build up things that lead to the formation of maybe life from what we see
formation of maybe life from what we see
formation of maybe life from what we see starting out in the earliest remnants of
starting out in the earliest remnants of
starting out in the earliest remnants of dead stars and the birthplace of solar
dead stars and the birthplace of solar
dead stars and the birthplace of solar systems the light coming from the
systems the light coming from the
systems the light coming from the galaxies we’re looking at is about as
galaxies we’re looking at is about as
galaxies we’re looking at is about as old as the earth is now the G BT is
old as the earth is now the G BT is
old as the earth is now the G BT is especially good for this it’s so massive
especially good for this it’s so massive
especially good for this it’s so massive it’s beam is very small it’s incredibly
it’s beam is very small it’s incredibly
it’s beam is very small it’s incredibly sensitive for this kind of work
the sensitivity of the gbt is ten to the
the sensitivity of the gbt is ten to the minus twenty nine watts per square meter
minus twenty nine watts per square meter
minus twenty nine watts per square meter per Hertz now to put that in a term that
per Hertz now to put that in a term that
per Hertz now to put that in a term that you can understand it can detect an
you can understand it can detect an
you can understand it can detect an energy level that’s equivalent to the
energy level that’s equivalent to the
energy level that’s equivalent to the energy given off by a single snowflake
energy given off by a single snowflake
energy given off by a single snowflake hitting the ground
a typical quasar in space gives out a
a typical quasar in space gives out a billion of a billion of a millionth of a
billion of a billion of a millionth of a
billion of a billion of a millionth of a watt so it takes very sophisticated and
watt so it takes very sophisticated and
watt so it takes very sophisticated and very sensitive receivers to detect those
very sensitive receivers to detect those
very sensitive receivers to detect those signals and be able to process them in a
signals and be able to process them in a
signals and be able to process them in a manner that the astronomer is needed how
manner that the astronomer is needed how
manner that the astronomer is needed how many kids have it looked up at the sky
many kids have it looked up at the sky
many kids have it looked up at the sky and just said what’s up there and
and just said what’s up there and
and just said what’s up there and astronomy is able to talk to them about
astronomy is able to talk to them about
astronomy is able to talk to them about that and keep that curiosity going so
that and keep that curiosity going so
that and keep that curiosity going so that kid who is curious about astronomy
that kid who is curious about astronomy
that kid who is curious about astronomy may turn out to be the next best
may turn out to be the next best
may turn out to be the next best physicist they may turn out to get a
physicist they may turn out to get a
physicist they may turn out to get a Nobel Prize solving something in
Nobel Prize solving something in
Nobel Prize solving something in medicine but it all started because
medicine but it all started because
medicine but it all started because there was somebody willing to answer
there was somebody willing to answer
there was somebody willing to answer their questions about what’s up in the
their questions about what’s up in the
their questions about what’s up in the sky
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