The Green Bank Observatory is poised to support and advance the priorities of the National Academies Astro2020 Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics.
In addition to the work of the Green Bank Telescope (GBT), the largest fully steerable telescope in the world, the Observatory will be a partner for the Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) project, which was highlighted as a priority by the Decadal Survey.
The GBT is positioned to answer some of the most compelling scientific challenges and frontiers in astronomy and astrophysics. Over the coming decade, the unique capabilities of the GBT will allow for major advances in the study of pulsar timing and the detection of gravitational waves, time domain and multi-messenger astronomy, the search for the biochemical signatures of life, star formation, and the origins and evolution of galaxies.
The Observatory will hold a special Zoom presentation on Wednesday November 17th at 1pm to discuss the results shared in the Astro2020 Decadal Survey. For more information on this presentation and our scientific working groups visit this page.
Beyond its impact to the astronomical sciences, Green Bank Observatory engages the public in dynamic educational programming to instill a greater appreciation for the value of radio astronomy, scientific discovery, and STEM in society. The Observatory uses student research opportunities, internships, apprenticeships, and co-ops to train the next generation of STEM workers, inclusive of traditionally underrepresented groups, to maximize the opportunities for diversity of future staff.
The Green Bank Observatory is a major facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement with Associated Universities, Inc. The 2,700 acre campus is protected by two radio quiet zones, minimizing interference to radio observations, and is home to many instruments used by partners across the United States and the World.