I shot some pictures of the Parkes Radio Telescope, affectionately nicknamed, "The Big Ear" by astronomers due to its incredible sensitivity. I was given entry past security gates with prior permission from management. Unfortunately, though they reduced the security lighting on the radio telescope, the skies were uncooperative and completely cloudy.
So I have composited the sky taken from an open field just a few hundred metres south of the radio telescope on a previous visit at the same time of year when i didn't have permission to enter the site, with pictures taken of the radio dish on Sunday night.
After more than 60 years in operation, this is still one of the most sensitive radio telescopes on Earth and the most sensitive in the southern hemisphere. This was the first large radio dish built.
The 64m size and design was so successful it was copied many times and used to construct many other 64m radio telescopes carbon copies around the world.
Joe Cali
