Jodrell Bank

I have had an interest in science and space exploration since I was a wee loon growing up in the Highlands, one of the thinks which sparked this was seeing images of the then largest moveable radio telescope on the planet at Jodrell Bank. At 250 feet in diameter it is a most impressive piece of kit and has been helping to increase our knowledge of the universe since it opened in 1957.

Was dismayed to learn that in March last year the government body responsible for it's funding were going to slash it's budget putting the site at risk. This was deeply frustrating as the scientists were within a year of completing the upgrade to the network which connects it to 6 other radio telescopes across England. This work, replacing microwave transmission links between the sites with fibre optic links will increase the sensitivity of the array by 30 times and is due to finish later on this year.

It was saved by a public campaign that was so heated it forced the government body to change their minds in July, and rightly so as when e-Merlin comes on line the array will be able to process in one day what it currently takes 3 years to collect!

This is very important, for as the late Douglas Adams wrote:

"Space is big - really big - you just won't believe how vastly, hugely mind-bogglingly big it is. You may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space."