The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope. The total surface collecting area is 2.3 acres wide, and 100 meters in diameter. It is truly a site to see! You will not believe how large it is! It rises above the rolling countryside below in a majestic way. Nestled in Green Bank, West Virginia, in the National Radio Quiet Zone. The NRQT is a unique place where all radio transmissions are heavily restricted by law.
The Green Bank Telescope uses the power of radio waves to explore our universe. The science and research discoveries provided are invaluable. The structure weights 7,600 metric tons, and is about 485 feet tall. It contains 2,209 actuators, which adjust and move 2,004 surface panels. A variety of projects and research utilize the Green Bank Telescope including ones that look at black holes, stellar birth and pulars. It is being used to perform research into the Big Bang Theory, the origins of life, extraterrestrial life, and universe expansion.