36 Foot Telescope, February 1966

NRAO chose the Rohr Corporation in Chula Vista, California, to build the 36 Foot Telescope, and Rohr decided to fabricate the surface in one piece rather than use multiple panels, a process which proved challenging. The surface was finally completed in late February 1966 and the 13,000 pound, 36 foot dish was transported by road from the Chula Vista factory to the base of Kitt Peak, accompanied by California and Arizona State Police escorts. The 425-mile trip took ten days and the entire Rohr convoy included eight truckloads of telescope components. Due to problems and delays in completing the dome to house the telescope, concerns about the impact of inclement weather conditions on top of the mountain, and ongoing repairs to the road up the mountain, the dish structure remained at the bottom of Kitt Peak for many months – under guard lest it be stolen or used as target practice by Arizona locals. In this photo, taken by John Hungerbuhler, the dish makes its slow way from California to Tucson.

Records of the NRAO

Still Image

36FootEnRoute1966-Hungerbuhler.jpg

1966-02

Photographs Series

36 Foot Telescope Unit