Astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell Dies At 98 22
An anonymous reader writes "Sir Bernard Lovell, the founder of the Jodrell Bank Observatory and namesake of the Lovell telescope has died at the age of 98. The Mark 1 telescope, as it was known in the '60s, was the only western telescope that could track the early Russian moon probes, which ensured its debts were paid off. However, the telescope is more famous for radio astronomy, including pulsar research, hydrogen line studies of the galaxy, and much more as other telescopes joined it in the Merlin network."
SBL (Score:5, Interesting)
Things to see before you die (Score:5, Interesting)
Mark 1 telescope is probably one of those things you must see before you die. Lovell's contributions to astronomy and science are hard to measure. Especially in early 40s and 50s all of this was cutting edge science. He is counted among the pioneers like Jansky,
Re:just think (Score:3, Interesting)
It is said that education is the progressive discovery of our own ignorance. With every discovery we only uncover a small part of the world, but at the same time shows how much is still yet to be known.
RIP Sir Bernard Lowell.
P.S. If it is any comfort it is nice to know he died peacefully, instead of what could have happened :
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/5362829/Sir-Bernard-Lovell-claims-Russians-tried-to-kill-him-with-radiation.html
I see that there is little Slashdot interest.... (Score:2, Interesting)
...in a subject where the British led much of the early work. Interestingly, and very telling, the Wiki entry for Radio Astronomy does not mention Lovell or the Jodrell Bank telescope at all...