First Observations and Some Disappointment

The first ionospheric measurements gave a very impressive measurement of the electron density as a function of height. However, test observations of radio sources indicated that the sensitivity using the 430 MHz line feed was only about 40% of the expected value and that the main beam had very high sidelobes. The good news was that the polarization properties of the main beam were excellent so the only effect on incoherent scatter measurements of the ionosphere and on radar studies of the Moon and planets was the decreased sensitivity. During 1964 there were very productive measurements of ionospheric properties, Venus was detected by the radar in February, Mercury in April, Mars in November and the Moon whenever it was within the declination coverage of the telescope. Occultation and scintillation programs were started to measure the small scale structure of radio astronomical sources. One serious issue was the initial very small scientific staff in all three research areas. During 1964 and 1965 there was a significant increase in the scientific staff helped by an influx of Australian trained young scientists, who came under the newly formed Cornell Sydney University Astronomy Center. Growing tensions between William Gordon and Thomas Gold were an issue and may have contributed to the reasons for Gordon’s departure from the observatory in September 1965.