Jodrell Blank
Last Sunday Mark and I visited Jodrell Bank - the giant radio telescope in Cheshire. It’s quite a nice drive through Wilmslow and Alderley Edge but the road signs aren’t very good so you definitely need a road map with you. The telescope is an impressive sight as you approach the entrance. There’s a big sign telling you to turn your mobile off - I’m not sure how they’d know or what they’d do if you didn’t.
The entrance fee was £1.50, which is just as well really as there’s not a whole lot there apart from the very large white telescope. There’s a small exhibition (a room) giving you the history of the telescope and it’s involvement in the Space Race back in the 1950s. Then you can walk around the telescope and read the evenly spaced information boards and marvel at the lack of imagination astronomers show when naming new equipment or observatories. If you’re lucky the telecope will move or someone will go up or down in the lift - both were highlights of the afternoon I assure you!
For an extra pound you can spend 10 minutes in the 3D Theatre. We went on a tourist’s trip to Mars. It’s only a little screen but it’s still entertaining although you can’t help wishing it was an IMAX.
Whatever you do don’t order a cup of tea - it’s quite possibly the worst tea I’ve ever tasted!
Apparently they are going to build a new visitor centre in the next few months because it’s the telescope’s 50th anniversary next year. They really need it. It’s quite a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, but it will only occupy an hour maybe an hour and a half max if you read slowly. Mark seemed to really enjoy it, but I was less impressed. Maybe I’m being harsh because I couldn’t help comparing it with the Space Center in Houston. Yes, that’s probably unfair. The telescope is cool.