Reminiscences of a Radio Astronomer

I came to radio astronomy after working as an engineer in Tasmania. Supported by Grote Reber, I went to Cambridge and joined Martin Ryle’s group. On completion of my PhD I moved to Professor Christiansen’s Department at the University of Sydney. There I lectured on Electrical Engineering and conducted research with radio telescopes at Fleurs, Parkes and Molonglo. For a sabbatical visit in 1966 I came to Bonn and interacted with Professor Otto Hachenberg. Then an invitation to become a Director of the Max-Planck-Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn came in 1969. The construction of the 100-m Effelsberg telescope was in progress and I was responsible for the technical developments. I also built up a research group studying cosmic magnetic fields and pulsars. Further interests in CO observations developed with the construction of the Pico Veleta dish and the Heinrich Hertz Telescope in Tucson, Arizona. At the end of my career, I developed close contacts with Chinese radio astronomy groups, and I also began researching the history of radio astronomy

Astronomer · Astronomy · Physics · History · Spacecraft Design and Technology