Jodrell Bank voted UK's greatest 'Unsung Landmark'
31st August 2006
Lovell Telescope from the Roaches
Jodrell Bank, the UK's national radio astronomy observatory and part of the University of Manchester's School of Physics and Astronomy, was today named as the overall winner of the BBC's online competition to find the UK's greatest 'Unsung Landmark'. The contest asked visitors to the BBC website to choose their favourite from eight landmarks nominated by the public and selected from an earlier regional round of voting.
The Director of Jodrell Bank Observatory, Professor Andrew Lyne, said "We're known worldwide for the quality of our research in astronomy and are incredibly proud that the public recognise the giant Lovell radio telescope as a key part of the UK landscape too."
Dr Tim O'Brien, one of the Manchester Astronomers who works closely with the Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre, said "The Lovell Telescope made headlines worldwide for its part in tracking the rocket which carried Sputnik I into space in October 1957 - the dawn of the space age. It became an icon for the achievements of UK science and engineering and is still an inspiration for many. "
Professor Lyne adds, "After several upgrades the Lovell Telescope is far more capable than when it was first built, enabling astronomers from across the world to continue to make exciting scientific discoveries. We hope that people will join us next year in special events being planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this iconic structure."
The University is committed to building a new world-class Science Centre at Jodrell Bank. Dr Teresa Anderson, Project Manager for the development, comments "The new Centre will provide a showcase for the University's research, offering an inspirational experience to the scientists of the future and to their families and friends."
The accompanying photograph was taken from The Roaches at the southwestern edge of the Peak District by Dr Anthony Holloway, Jodrell Bank's Head of Computing. It shows the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank on the Cheshire Plain with the Cathedrals in Liverpool 45 miles away visible on the skyline.
Contacts
Dr Tim O’Brien
Senior Lecturer in Astrophysics
Tel: 01477-571321
E-mail: tim.obrien@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Teresa Anderson
Development Project Manager, Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre
Tel: 0161-3063990
E-mail: teresa.anderson@manchester.ac.uk
Images
A large selection of high-resolution images of Jodrell Bank can be found on the gallery pages of the Jodrell Bank website. A higher-resolution version of the above image is available here - credit "Anthony Holloway, University of Manchester".
Further Information
- The University of Manchester's School of Physics and Astronomy operates the UK's national radio astronomy observatory from Jodrell Bank.
- The astronomers at Jodrell Bank use telescopes worldwide and in space and are playing a major role in designing the next generation of radio telescopes.
- The University is currently preparing plans for a new Science Centre at the Jodrell Bank site.
- 2007 is the 50th Anniversary of the Lovell Telescope. The Telescope was the only scientific instrument in the world able to track the carrier rocket of the very first Sputnik when it was launched into space in October 1957.
- On its 30th anniversary in 1987 the telescope was renamed the Lovell telescope in honour of its creator and first director of Jodrell Bank, Sir Bernard Lovell.
