1

Quiet Skies ProjectQuiet Skies Project

Sue Ann Heatherly, Ron Maddalena

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

2

3

4

Why Dark Skies/Quiet Skies?Why Dark Skies/Quiet Skies?Optical and radio astronomy can be done from the ground!Optical and radio astronomy can be done from the ground!

Credit: Windows to the Universe, thence to NASA/STSCI/JHU

5

Green Bank TelescopeGreen Bank TelescopeVery Large ArrayVery Large Array

Very Long Baseline ArrayVery Long Baseline ArrayAtacama Large Millimeter ArrayAtacama Large Millimeter Array

NRAO TelescopesNRAO Telescopes

6

Got a cell phone on Titan?Got a cell phone on Titan?

We can hear you now!We can hear you now!

Why quiet skies?Why quiet skies?

7

Why quiet skies?Why quiet skies?

0.000000000000000000000000010.00000000000000000000000001

watts/mwatts/m22/Hz/Hz

8http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/allochrt.html

9

Quiet Skies Project and IYAQuiet Skies Project and IYA

Two Flavors:Two Flavors:

1.1. Be an Interference Detective : AM Radio Be an Interference Detective : AM Radio Scavenger Hunt of any interior space.Scavenger Hunt of any interior space.

Can be “Try it at Home”, or guided activity. Can be “Try it at Home”, or guided activity.

Limited to AM Frequencies.Limited to AM Frequencies.

10

Quiet Skies Project and IYAQuiet Skies Project and IYA2. Quiet Skies Kits:2. Quiet Skies Kits:

Contain sensitive instrument which can Contain sensitive instrument which can detect RFI at Frequency range of 800-detect RFI at Frequency range of 800-1700 MHz ( scientifically interesting).1700 MHz ( scientifically interesting).Loan program. 500 units x 10-20 Loan program. 500 units x 10-20 locations throughout IYA.locations throughout IYA.Measurements reported to NRAO data Measurements reported to NRAO data base resulting in…base resulting in…

the radio version of…the radio version of…

11

12

Anatomy of a Quiet Skies DetectorAnatomy of a Quiet Skies Detector

13

14

15

http://www.gb.nrao.edu/php/quietskies