Megan's Blog

In the news this month: and finally, Allen telescope revived

In 2007 the Allen Telescope Array began operations.  Designed and constructed to participate in both conventional radio astronomy studies and the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, the array is jointly operated by the SETI Institute and the University of California.  One of the goals is to observe planetary systems detected by the Kepler mission, searching for possible signals.  However, in April 2011, funding shortfalls for operations of the Hat Creek Radio Observatory (HCRO) where the ATA is located resulted in the Allen Telescope Array being put into hibernation.  After launching the SETIstars campaign in June, an appeal to supporters to help raise the 200,000 dollars needed to get the telescope back online, thousands of people from around the world made donations and operations are due to restart in September.

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This blog post is a news story from the Jodcast, aired in the September 2011 edition.