Observatory
TheFive College Radio Astronomical Observatory (FCRAO ) was aradio astronomy observatory located on apeninsula in theQuabbin Reservoir . It was sited in the town ofNew Salem, Massachusetts on land that was originally part ofPrescott, Massachusetts . It was founded in 1969 by theFive College Astronomy Department (University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass),Amherst College ,Hampshire College ,Mount Holyoke College andSmith College ).[ 1] observatory has emphasizedresearch , the development of technology and the training of students—bothgraduate andundergraduate .
The initial FCRAOtelescope was a customized low-frequencyantenna to search forpulsars in thegalaxy . The development of instrumentation within the FCRAO labs contributed to the discovery of thebinary pulsar systemPSR B1913+16 byJoseph Taylor andRussell Hulse , for which they received the 1993Nobel Prize in Physics . It was replaced by a 14-meterradome-enclosed millimeter-wave telescope in 1976.[ 2]
After UMass Amherst devoted its time, energy, and funding to theLarge Millimeter Telescope (LMT) in Mexico from approximately 2005, FCRAO was described as being the then–"current platform", with the LMT referred to as its "future platform".[ 1] Massachusetts Water Resources Authority announced that the telescope and the associated control building were removed from the site.[ 3]
Research Campus Athletics Student Life People Media Miscellaneous
Research Student life Media Miscellaneous
Research Campus Student life People Media Miscellaneous
Research Campus Student life People Media Miscellaneous
Academics Research Campus
Athletics
Student life People Media Miscellaneous
International National Other
