October 18, 2011
Name That Telescope
The Very Large Array in New Mexico (via wikimedia commons)
The Very Large Array, a collection of 27 radio antennas out in New Mexico, has a problem—it has a boring name. That hasn’t stopped the thousands of scientists who have used the array since 1980 from making observations of our universe. But with an expansion of the array on schedule to be completed next year, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which runs the array, has decided that it’s time for a change.
“Though the giant dish antennas, the unique machines that move them across the desert, and the buildings on New Mexico’s Plains of San Agustin may appear much the same, the VLA truly has become a new and different facility. We want a name that reflects this dramatically new status,” says NRAO director Fred K.Y. Lo. “The new name should clearly reflect the VLA’s leading role in the future of astronomy, while honoring its multitude of past achievements.”
Those achievements include: receiving radio communications from the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it flew past Neptune; key observations of Sgr A*, at the center of the Milky Way, now known to be a black hole; discovery of the first Einstein Ring; as well as contributions to many other investigations of stars, galaxies, black holes and other astronomical phenomena.
In addition, the Very Large Array has often appeared in pop culture, a perfect stand-in whenever a mysterious telescope might be needed in movies such as Contact, Armageddon and Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon. You may even have gotten the mistaken idea that the VLA conducted searches for SETI from the movie Independence Day.
There are several ways to go when naming a telescope. Name it after a famous person in astronomy, like the Hubble, or after a place, like Arecibo. Acronyms are always a favorite in science, like CARMA. Or you could be more creative and go in a different direction, perhaps making up something based on a future goal (the Planet Finder 9000?) or a dream.
If you’ve got an idea for what to rename the VLA, tell us in the comments below and also submit it here by 23:59 PST, December 1, 2011. The winning name will be announced at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Austin, Texas on January 10, 2012.
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Can you see ALASKA from the satellite above earth? Maybe call it CYSAFTSAE!
Its the world of text speak right? Acronyms are lol – funny :-)
the Fly Eye
Some one has to say it so I will bite the bullet, THE DEATH RAY, or TDR. One of you might get that joke.
Following the KISS theory (Keep it Simple Silly)
I’d name it..ta da….
VELAscope (VEry Large Array Scope)so it can be recognized as a scope!
Lynn
SEER (Space Energy Enhanced Reception)
What’s the matter with “Fred”?
Name it Socorro after the nearby town in New Mexico
Einstein’s Telescope! Is A Great way To give him Honor That he did not receive during his Lifetime!
Einstein’s Telescope would be a Great way To Give Him The Honor He Did Not Receive During His Life Time.
Milagro Beam Field
( hey, it’s in New Mexico…)
Calling them Einsteins Telescope would be a Great way to Give Honor To Albert Einstein. Especially Since The Telescope Found Einstein’s Ring.
Just leave it as the Very Large Array… or at least call it the “Cibola”, “Magdalena” or “Socorro” Very Large Array after the nearby National Forest or towns.
Argus: “A primordial giant whose epithet “Panoptes”, “all-seeing”, led to his being described with multiple, often one hundred, eyes.” from wikipedia
Argus was also described as being ever watchful which is appropriate for an array of different types of telescopes.
SRWCI (Space Radio Waves Captivator and Investigator)
How about The Sagan Array after Carl Sagan.
Call it “Vlad”. This preserves the curent name and just makes it easier to say and remember. Very Large Array|Antenna Device. This says it all to me. Why mess with a good thing and it sticks the real name right in the face of all of those who totally misunderstand science. Make up a mascot such as one of the rabbits that are running wild around the antennas.
Name it CARL an acronym for Carl Sagan meaning:
C — Cosmos
A — Astronomical
R — Research
L — Lab
OR DR – a nod to Dr. Carl Sagan, meaning ‘Deep Reach’
YESS –
Y is for its shape and ESS stands for Electromagnetic Signature System
How about seeing if Paramount will let you call it VGER 6? Or just a variant of VGER? That way you can honor the Voyager missions, and Roddenberry’s vision at the same time.
I vote for the Jansky Array in honor of the scientist who founded the field of radio astronomy
Consider “Earth’s Eye”
“Who There?”
NAME IT 1] ” VLA ” :: AS SIMPLE AS THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!
2] “VARAHAMIHIR” :: AFTER ANCIENT INDIAN ASTRONOMER.
3] ” YETI ” :: Y for its shape,
E for Extra
T for Terrestrial
I for Images,Information,Intelligent
system !!!!
Name it the Reber Array, after Grote Reber, who constructed the first radio telescope built for that purpose and was arguably the first radio astronomer.
It has to be “The Sagan Array” or simply “The Sagan”. While there are many scientists, past and present, that deserve to be honored, it was Carl Sagan that brought the ‘science of the sky’ to the average person. His unique ability to make the science of astronomy both entertaining and informative, thus opening the eyes of so many, was unique.
CYHMNY (pronounced Chimney)
Can You Hear Me Now Yonder
If you’re going to suggest popularizer Sagan as a namesake, why not go one better: Astronomical Scientific Instrument, Multiple Observatory Vectors.
I really like the Milagro Beam Field suggestion, but Argus, Yeti, and Vlaad are all good suggestions, too.
Pancho VLA
How about The Very, Very Large Array?