astronomy

Ohio State University Radio Observatory

Ohio State University Radio Observatory is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ohio State University Radio Observatory rather than just read about it. In short: The Ohio State University Radio Observatory was a Kraus-type radio telescope located on the grounds of the Perkins Observatory at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio from 1963 to 1998. Known as Big Ear, the observatory was part of Ohio State University's Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project.

Key takeaways

Ohio State University Radio Observatory belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ohio State University Radio Observatory to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ohio State University Radio Observatory from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Ohio State University Radio Observatory was a Kraus-type radio telescope located on the grounds of the Perkins Observatory at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio from 1963 to 1998. Known as Big Ear, the observatory was part of Ohio State University's Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project. The telescope was designed by John D. Kraus. Construction of the Big Ear began in 1956 and was completed in 1961, and it was finally turned on for the first time in 1963. The main reflector of Big Ear—The Flat Reflector—measured approximately 103 meters by 33 meters, giving it the sensitivity equivalent to a circular dish measuring nearly 53 meters in diameter. The observatory completed the Ohio Sky Survey in 1971, and from 1973–1995, Big Ear was used to search for extraterrestrial radio signals, making it the longest running SETI project in history. In 1977, the Big Ear received the Wow! signal. The observatory was disassembled in 1998 when developers purchased the site from the university and used the land to expand a nearby golf course.

History From 1965–1971, the Big Ear was used to map wideband radio sources for the Ohio Sky Survey, its first sky survey for extraterrestrial radio sources.

In 1977, the Big Ear recorded an unusual and possible extraterrestrial radio signal, which became known as the Wow! signal. The observation would prove to be unique, since no similar signals were ever detected afterwards. Later research indicated the phenomenon was possibly caused by a transient brightening of hydrogen. The Big Ear was listed in the 1995 Guinness Book of World Records under the category of "Longest Extraterrestrial Search":

The longest-running full-scale SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence) project is the Ohio SETI Program at Ohio State University in Columbus, OH, which has searched the universe for extraterrestrial radio signals for 22 years, beginning in 1973.

Surveys Andromeda Galaxy (1963) Ohio Sky Survey (1965–1971) SETI (1973–1995)

See also List of astronomical observatories Radio astronomy

References

Further reading Kraus, John D. (1995) [1976]. Big Ear Two: Listening for Other-Worlds (2 ed.). Cygnus-Quasar Books. ISBN 1-882484-12-6.

External links The Big Ear Memorial Site Archived 2005-02-04 at the Wayback Machine Big Ear Inventor John Kraus Dies Video presentation and tour of "Big Ear": [1], [2], [3]

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ohio State University Radio Observatory

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ohio State University Radio Observatory claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ohio State University Radio Observatory before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ohio State University Radio Observatory ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ohio State University Radio Observatory

In research: Ohio State University Radio Observatory appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ohio State University Radio Observatory in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ohio State University Radio Observatory is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1963 establishments in Ohio, Astronomical observatories in Ohio, Buildings and structures demolished in 1998, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ohio State University Radio Observatory outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Ohio State University Radio Observatory in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ohio State University Radio Observatory means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ohio State University Radio Observatory out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ohio State University Radio Observatory in simple terms?

Why does Ohio State University Radio Observatory matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ohio State University Radio Observatory?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ohio State University Radio Observatory.