The Greenbank Observatory

Last month in October, Troop 84 had the amazing chance to go to the Green Bank Observatory in Green Bank, WV. During that weekend, scouts were given a tour of the facility, and had the opportunity to complete the Astronomy Merit Badge.

Green Bank and the surrounding areas are inside the United States National Radio Quiet Zone, which is a rectangular region of nearly 13,000 square miles, where radio waves are greatly restricted. This means that the people of Green Bank can’t use things like microwaves, cell phones, gas-powered cars, or radios.

The Green Bank Observatory is home to the Green Bank Telescope, the world’s largest radio telescope, which has an active surface of 100 by 110 meters, weighs 7,600 metric tons, and is 485 feet tall. The observatory also has many other radio telescopes, one of which, Troop 84 had the oportunity to use.

All elements in space emit radio waves at different frequencies. The telescopes at the observatory can detect these radio waves and the scientists can use this data to make a detailed map of our universe. For example, hydrogen emits radio waves at a frequency of about 1420 MHz.

Troop 84 got to use the 40 foot telescope at the observatory, to find hydrogen in space.

A chart of our findings from Green Bank’s 40 foot telescope.

Another chart of our findings from Green Bank’s 40 foot telescope, when we pointed it at the center of our galaxy.

Above are the charts that the troop got to have after using Green Bank’s forty foot wide telescope. The first one is from when the scouts learned how to use the telescope, and got to use it for the first time. The second chart is from when the troop came back to the telescope later in the afternoon and pointed the telescope at the center of our galaxy.

While working on the Astronomy merit badge, scouts also got to learn about other great things! The troop learned the names of different constellations, about radio waves, radio interference, observation tools, the moon, planets, and other things in our solar system … , and how to observe the stars and space. Scouts also got to look at our Milky Way galaxy and other planets like Mars and Venus through a telescope. Overall, the troop had a great time at the Green Bank Observatory and hopes to go back again soon.

For more information about the observatory and all of the great work that is done there, you can go to https://greenbankobservatory.org/.