The Very Large Array, near Socorro NM, is one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. It is also something of a movie star, having served as a background set for the films “2010”, “Contact”, and “Terminator Salvation”. Contrary to the impression given by the movies, though, the VLA is not used for SETI (“Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence”), but is used solely by the National Science Foundation for radio astronomy.

Driving to the VLA is a surreal experience. Although Highway 60 runs right to it, the complex is located 50 miles out in the desert. So for an hour, you see nothing but hills and sage bushes. Then all of a sudden you drive over a hill and there, spread out before you, is a sci-fi scene—dozens of huge space antennas spread out across the desert.

Upon entering the visitors center, you are asked to power down your cellphone; the equipment here is so sensitive that even if you don’t make any calls, your phone puts out enough radio energy to interfere with the collection of data from the antennas.

Once your phone is off, you are free to wander around the visitor center, then out onto the walkway that takes you to the radio dishes. Interpretive signs and displays tell the story.

Here are some photos from my visit.

The view from the highway

The dishes are periodically spread out and gathered close together for different astronomical observations. Currently they are spread out about 13 miles.

Inside the visitors center

One of the radio dishes. The human figure at left shows the scale.

The dishes are moved around on a set of railroad tracks

The big vehicle that carries the dishes from one station to another

Some shots of the array.