This section brings together posts on recent (and sometimes past) science at Jodrell Bank and elsewhere. Where we can, we try to give links to the bloggers themselves so you can follow their work in future. Many of them work here, many work on our University Main Campus in Manchester and some of them are national and international collaborators.
14 December, 2020
A most extraordinary coincidence: The first experiment at Jodrell Bank
The first scientific experiment at Jodrell Bank took place 75 years ago; from an army radar trailer, on a damp and icy Friday afternoon on the 14th December 1945.
Meteor showers, and in particular the August Perseids, have a special place in the history of Jodrell Bank. The 1946 shower marked the start of Jodrell Bank becoming an astronomical observatory, and Bernard Lovell becoming an astronomer.
21 July, 2020
Comet NEOWISE
Look out for comet NEOWISE in the northwest sky after dusk. The comet will reach its closest point to Earth this week, 23rd July when it will be 64 million miles (103 million km) away.
4 June, 2020
Telescopes re-awakening at Jodrell Bank Observatory
The iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory at The University of Manchester is taking its first major steps to resume scientific operations after lockdown as part of what is probably the biggest ‘reboot’ in astrophysics!
17 April, 2020
Jodrell and Cambridge: A shared radio astronomical heritage
18th April is World Heritage Day, and as the UK’s newest World Heritage Site, this is a good opportunity for us to reflect on our new status. This year’s theme is Shared Heritage.
28 February, 2020
Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us.
We are so excited to announce the first phase of our science line up for bluedot 2020…
12 February, 2020
bluedot 2020 headliners announced…
In just over six months, from 23 – 26 July, we’ll welcome over 30,000 people to Jodrell Bank once again to enjoy our award-winning, star-struck festival of discovery, bluedot. In honour of the festival’s fifth anniversary, we’ve gone to infinity and beyond to find the most inspiring combination of music, cosmic culture and science, and are excited to start sharing the 2020 line up.
15 January, 2020
Space Sapling from Isaac Newton’s apple tree arrives at Jodrell Bank
Saplings grown from apple pips from Isaac Newton’s tree and taken into space by astronaut Tim Peake have been given new homes, including Jodrell Bank, to inspire the next generation.
9 January, 2020
A repeating Fast Radio Burst from a spiral galaxy
Telescopes in the European VLBI Network (EVN), including Jodrell Bank’s Mark II Telescope, have observed a repeating Fast Radio Burst (FRB) in a spiral galaxy similar to our own. This FRB is the closest to Earth ever localised and was found in a radically different environment to previous studies. The discovery, once again, changes researchers’ assumptions on the origins of these mysterious extragalactic events.
7 January, 2020
Telescopes: A Beginners Guide.
Were you lucky enough to receive a telescope for Christmas? If so, here are some fantastic things to find in the sky.