The Very Large Array is the most versatile, widely-used radio telescope in the world. It can map large-scale structure of gas and molecular clouds and pinpoint ejections of plasma from supermassive black holes. It is the world’s first color camera for radio astronomy, thanks to its new suite of receivers and a supercomputer than can process wide fields of spectral data simultaneously. The VLA is also a high-precision spacecraft tracker that NASA and ESA have used to keep tabs on robotic spacecrafts exploring the Solar System.

Join the NRAO Education and Public Outreach team; Summer Ash, Faith Vowler, Tyler Cohen, and Montana Williams for a personal and in-depth look at this world renowned radio telescope and the field of radio astronomy. The tour will include an introduction to the history and science of the Very Large Array, video segments that will transport the audience to parts of the observatory otherwise off limits to the public, and an interview with one of the telescope operators. The tour will be followed by live Q&A segment.