by ALINE REYNOLDS
The 1,000-foot-wide dish, which rests in a natural sinkhole, consists of 40,000 aluminum panels (1) that form a radio-reflective surface. The panels gather radio waves from the sky and focus them onto a feed antenna (2) that amplifies the signals and sends them to a control room where data are analyzed. The antenna hangs from a 900-ton platform (3) suspended 450 feet above the dish by 18 cables connected to three concrete towers. Twenty-six electric motors (4) aim the telescope and adjust its focus.
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