INSTRUMENT_HOST_DESC |
Instrument Host Overview
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The following information comes from the NAIC website
(http://www.naic.edu/public/descrip_eng.htm):
The Arecibo Observatory, located in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 'is part of the
National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC), a national research
center operated by Cornell University under a cooperative agreement with
the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF is an independent federal
agency whose aim is to promote scientific and engineering progress in the
United States. NSF funds research and education in most fields of science
and engineering. Additional support is provided by the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
As the site of the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, the
Observatory is recognized as one of the most important national centers for
research in radio astronomy, planetary radar and terrestrial aeronomy. Use
of the Arecibo Observatory is available on an equal, competitive basis to
all scientists from throughout the world. Observing time is granted on the
basis of the most promising research as ascertained by a panel of
independent referees who review the proposals sent to the Observatory by
interested scientists. Every year about 200 scientists visit the
Observatory facilities to pursue their research project, and numerous
students perform observations that lead to their master and doctoral
dissertations.'
See 'An Astronomer's Guide to the Arecibo 305-m Telescope' [SALTER2009] for
more information.
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