Into the Paraboloid

Visited Jodrell Bank for the first time in twenty years or more today. There was good and not so good. The good was the Radio Telescope itself, a fantastic feat of engineering and visually spectacular. The not so good was the change to visitor facilities. Back in the day there was a planetarium with regular shows, the original control room was open with all the original gear still in situ, the exhibits were varied and interesting, and the shop stocked a great range of astronomical related stuff including magazines, telescopes and accessories, star charts, 'gifts' etc..
Now there is a rather feeble 'interactive' gallery, no access to the old control room, and a shop that sells key rings and toys, this side of things is now rubbish!

The large telescope is very large! If you look carefully at the shot you will see a guy in a high viz jacket about to make his way up into the dish, presumably for maintenance. It conveys some idea of the scale of the thing!