The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), located in the United States of America, is seeking new name ideas for their state-of-the-art telescope, the new Very Large Array (VLA).
VLA is a radio telescope consisting of 27 independent antennas that act together as a single telescope! This is possible thanks to a technique called aperture synthesis interferometry.
This telescope has been making key observations since 1980 and has already solved many of the mysteries of the Universe. However, the VLA is being transformed into a new and improved research instrument: the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA). By 2012, new powerful electronics and software will completely transform the telescope into a much more capable research tool with more than ten times the current VLA's sensitivity.
Due to this impressive upgrade, the NRAO invites everyone to suggest a new name for this iconic radio telescope. Entries will be accepted until 23:59 EST on 1 December 2011, and the new name will be announced at NRAO’s Town Hall meeting at the American Astronomical Society’s conference in Austin, Texas, 10 January 2011.
To check more information and to submit a name suggestion, visit the site.
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