MRAO@50

The Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007 with a diverse programme of events.

The Observatory was opened on 25 July 1957 by Sir Edward Appleton as a new home for the Radio Astronomy group of the University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, active until then at its Grange Road site. MRAO was at the forefront of dramatic discoveries in the first two decades of radio astronomy, including the development of aperture synthesis, blind surveys of radio sources, and the discovery of pulsars in 1967. The Observatory today is run by Cavendish Astrophysics, one of the world's leading astronomy research groups.

Cavendish Astrophysics celebrated MRAO's historic achievements by organising tours of the Observatory and by holding a public lecture and exhibition. Both events were extremely well attended by members of the public. Footage of the lecture presented by Professor Malcolm Longair will be available soon.

A few extra events were held after the public lecture on 28th July 2007. Dr Ken Kellermann, Dr David Jauncey and Martin George each presented short talks on the life and work of the "father of radio astronomy", Grote Reber. Afterwards, a short ceremony was conducted outside the Mullard Building at Lord's Bridge, where MRAO was presented with some of Grote Reber's ashes.

The Group also held a reunion for past and present members who had worked on instruments at MRAO since its move to Lord's Bridge. Nearly two hundred people attended from many different generations. The day's events then culminated with a spectacular fireworks display

Photographs by Damian Gillie

Last modified: 7 May 2008