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Article: Lost Space.(increasing sources of radio signals threaten radio astronomy)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- September 11, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Rising din threatens radio astronomy
The amount of energy collected from space by all the radio telescopes ever used to explore the sky would not light a single lightbulb. This fact, oft stated by radio astronomers, points out the Achilles' heel of their endeavor.
Radio astronomy tracks cosmic events by tuning into weak radio waves that identify the molecules in stars and other celestial bodies. Stronger signals, either from space or earthly sources, can easily overwhelm even the most sophisticated radio telescopes. Today, the sky buzzes with the signals of cell telephones, television and radio broadcasts, military radar, air-traffic-control chatter, and ...