The VLA

Text Box: Fast Facts The VLA was featured in the 1980 documentary Cosmos a Personal Voyage. The VLA takes images of space. The VLA is located between the towns of Magdelena, New Mexico and Datil, New Mexico.                                                                                               

The Very Large Array is an astronomy observatory in the plains of San Augustin. It is 50 miles West of the city of Socorro, New Mexico. The Very Large Array consists of 27 radio antennas.  They are in a Y shape formation.  Each Antenna is 25 meters in diameter.(82 ft.)  It weighs 230 metric tons .  These antennas are moved around on railroad tracks.   

Text Box: The VLA Text Box: The VLA Text Box: The VLA was introduced in 1972.   The construction ended in 1980. The first antenna was put into place in 1975.  This project cost $78.5 million.  Recent funding changed the VLA to the EVLA. (Expanded Very Large Array) This upgrade will enhance the antennas sensitivity.            fa