Open Skies: The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Its Impact on US Radio Astronomy

by Kenneth I. Kellermann, Ellen N. Bouton, Sierra S. Brandt

Overview

This open access book on the history of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory covers the scientific discoveries and technical innovations of late 20th century radio astronomy with particular attention to the people and institutions involved. The authors have made extensive use of the NRAO Archives, which contain an unparalleled collection of documents pertaining to the history of radio astronomy, including the institutional records of NRAO as well as the personal papers of many of the pioneers of U.S. radio astronomy. Technical details and extensive citations to original sources are given in notes for the more technical readers, but are not required for an understanding of the body of the book.

This book is intended for an audience ranging from interested lay readers to professional researchers studying the scientific, technical, political, and cultural development of a new science, and how it changed the course of 20th century astronomy.

With a Foreword by Ron Ekers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030323479
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	07/01/2020
Series:	Historical & Cultural Astronomy
Edition description:	1st ed. 2020
Pages:	652
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

K. I. Kellermann has 60 years of experience in radio astronomy including more than 50 years at NRAO. He is the former Chair of the IAU Historical Radio Astronomy Working Group, and editor of several books on the history of radio astronomy.

E. N. Bouton has been at NRAO for more than 40 years, first as Librarian and for the last 16 years as the Archivist.

S. S. Brandt is an historian of science who has worked with the NRAO Archives for the past eight years.

Table of Contents

A New Window on the Universe.- The Post War Explosion in Radio Astronomy: The US Falls Behind.- A New Era in Radio Astronomy.- Growing Pains.- Is Anyone Out There?.- The Bar Is Open.- The Very Large Array.- VLBI and the Very Long Baseline Array.- The Largest Feasible Steerable Telescope.- Exploring the Millimeter Sky.- NRAO and Radio Astronomy in the 21st Century.- Appendix A.- Appendix B.- Index.

Editorial Reviews

Well researched and well illustrated, Open Skies contains copious references at the end of each chapter for those wanting to learn more. It is also an open- access book … . Open Skies places the NRAO’s achievements in both a domestic and an international context. For those wanting to know about the development of post– World War II radio astronomy— and not just about the NRAO— Open Skies is essential reading.” (Wayne Orchiston, Physics Today, Vol. 75 (7), July, 2022)

“A beautifully vivid narrative bringing readers, general and professional, closer to the action, the pioneers, and their discoveries. Many photographs not seen before in the public domain add interest. Notes and bibliographies at the end of each chapter will effortlessly guide future scholars. A handy timeline of NRAO history features in an appendix. ... It is a landmark publication in the history of modern astronomy, a true masterpiece exhibiting the highest standards of scholarship." (Simon Mitton, TheObservatory, Issue 141, June, 2021)

From the Publisher