Jodrell Bank Observatory

"Transit Telescope" redirects here. For the type of telescope, see Transit telescope.

Jodrell Bank Observatory

Alternative names	Jodrell Bank Experimental Station
Named after	William Jauderell
Organization	University of Manchester
Location	Goostrey, Cheshire, England
Coordinates	53°14′10″N 2°18′26″W
Altitude	77 m (253 ft)
Established	1945
Website	www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk
Telescopes	42ft radio telescope of Jodrell Bank Observatory 7m radio telescope of Jodrell Bank Observatory Cambridge MERLIN telescope Darnhall telescope Defford telescope Knockin telescope Pickmere telescope Polar Axis telescope Searchlight Telescope Transit Telescope Lovell Telescope mERLIN Mark II Mark III
Related media on Commons
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: (i), (ii), (iv), (vi)
Reference	1594
Inscription	2019 (43rd Session)
Area	17.38 ha (42.9 acres)
Buffer zone	18,569.22 ha (45,885.5 acres)

Jodrell Bank Observatory (/ˈdʒɒdrəl/ JOD-rəl) in Cheshire, England, hosts a number of radio telescopes as part of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester. The observatory was established in 1945 by Bernard Lovell, a radio astronomer at the university, to investigate cosmic rays after his work on radar in the Second World War. It has since played an important role in the research of meteoroids, quasars, pulsars, masers, and gravitational lenses, and was heavily involved with the tracking of Soviet and US spacecraft of the Space Race.

The main telescope at the observatory is the Lovell Telescope. Its diameter of 250 ft (76 m) makes it the third largest steerable radio telescope in the world. There are three other active telescopes at the observatory; the Mark II and 42 ft (13 m) and 7 m diameter radio telescopes.

Jodrell Bank Observatory hosts the global headquarters of the Square Kilometre Array and is the base of the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN), a National Facility run by the University of Manchester on behalf of the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

The Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre and an arboretum are in Lower Withington, and the Lovell Telescope and the observatory near Goostrey and Holmes Chapel. The observatory is reached from the A535. The Crewe to Manchester Line passes by the site, and Goostrey station is a short distance away. In 2019, the observatory became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.