Twenty Years of Innovation and Discovery
First light – that moment when a telescope starts taking observations – is always an exciting day, and for the Green Bank Telescope that day was August 22, 2000. Right away, the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) started observing planets (Venus on March 24, 2001) and pulsars, and to this day, continues to produce exceptional scientific data and results.
To celebrate this event, we are organizing a conference and virtual meeting. We are pulling together recollections, interviews, and stories from the people who were there, and are sharing all of these on our web site.
Interviews & Archival Video
Watch interviews with scientists, engineers, and key staff who were instrumental with the development and construction of the GBT.
The “Go-getter Maverick” George Seilestad
Post Doc to Project Manager Mark McKinnon
Across Time & Space (unreleased GBT construction documentary)
Image Contest
GBT users were invited to create data-based visuals including:
- radio/composite emission images
- animations
- data visualizations
- 3D models
Art Contest
View submissions from artists of all ages from the contest.
GBT Design Challenge
Can you design your own GBT at home? Try this fun activity from our education team. Watch the video here.
Galaxy Gift Shop
Love the GBT? Find t-shirts, hats, mugs, magnets, key chains, books, and specialty items made onsite in the Observatory machine shop!
Schedule
Subject to change
Wednesday April 21
Session 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
A Telescope for All (complete session video)
Moderator: Mark McKinnon
| What to Build and How to Build it | Speaker: Paul Vanden Bout |
| Reflections on the beginning | Panel: George Seielstad, Jay Lockman, Larry D’Addario, Ken Kellermann, other members of the external committee |
| A Dynamic Telescope | Speaker: Mark Clark |
| The Dedication | Panel: Phil Jewell, Mark McKinnon, Tony Beasley, Mike Holstine, Sue Ann Heatherly |
| Telescope Stories: Sharks! | Panel: Dana Balser, Ron Maddalena (slides), Frank Ghigo |
| Telescope Stories: GBT Outfitting | Panel: Rich Lacasse, Bob Simon |
| GBT Science in 1989 | Speaker: Jay Lockman |
Session 2, 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Science Case: Pulsars, Stars & the Solar System (complete session video)
Moderator: Ryan Lynch
| Pulsars discoveries | Speaker: David Nice (slides) |
| Radar discoveries | Speaker: Jean-Luc Margot |
| Business of Making the GBT | Speakers: Mike Holstine, Bill Porter (slides) |
Session 3, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Good Ole Hydrogen (complete session video)
Moderator: Jay Lockman
| Galactic Hydrogen | Speaker: D.J. Pisano |
| Extra Galactic Hydrogen | Speaker: Brent Tully (slides) |
| Panel: Brent Tully, Karen Masters (slides), D.J. Pisano, Jay Lockman |
BYO Happy Hour 7 p.m.
| SETI Chat | Dan Wertheimer (slides) |
Thursday April 22
Session 4, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Science Case: Molecular Spectroscopy (complete session video)
Moderator: Ron Maddalena
| Molecular Spectroscopy | Speaker: Tony Remijan (slides) |
| Panel: Amanda Kepley, Larry Morgan | |
| Telescope Stories | Speaker: Dave Parker: The view from the 300’ Building |
| Commissioning: Active Surface/PTCS | Panel: Tim Weadon (slides), Todd Hunter (slides), Rich Lacasse, Bojan Nikolic, Pedro Salas |
Session 5, 2 – 3 p.m.
Science Case: Continuum & Multi-pixel Cameras (complete session video)
Moderator: Dave Frayer
| MUSTANG | Speaker: Brian Mason (slides) |
| KFPA | Speaker: Rachel Friesen |
| Argus | Speaker: Dave Frayer |
Session 6, 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Science Case: VLBI
Moderator: Frank Ghigo
| History of VLBI with GBT | Speaker: Frank Ghigo |
| Maser Science | Speaker: Jim Braatz |
| Space VLBI | Speaker: Yuri Kovalev (slides) |
| VLBI Stories | Panel: Ken Kellerman, George Seielstad, Glen Langston |
BYO Happy Hour 7 p.m.
GBT: The Next 20 Years
Moderator: Karen O’Neil
| GBT- The Next 20 years | Speaker: Karen O’Neil |
| Fresh Science | Speaker: Jay Lockman |
| GBT and ngVLA | Speaker: Tony Beasley (slides) |