Where is Green Bank, and what is its significance?

Green Bank is a small community located in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States. Its significance lies in the presence of the Green Bank Observatory, a world-renowned facility for radio astronomy research.

The Green Bank Observatory is home to the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), which is the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope. The GBT has a diameter of 100 meters (328 feet) and is used by astronomers to study various celestial objects and phenomena, such as pulsars, black holes, and molecular clouds. Its large size and sensitivity allow researchers to collect data from distant and faint objects in the universe.

Green Bank is also part of the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ), a large area of land established in 1958 to minimize radio frequency interference (RFI) for the observatory. Within the NRQZ, strict regulations are in place to limit the use of radio-emitting devices, such as cell phones, Wi-Fi routers, and even microwave ovens. This helps to ensure that the observatory can continue its important work without interference from man-made radio signals.

In summary, Green Bank is a small community in West Virginia known for the Green Bank Observatory and its significant contributions to radio astronomy research. The presence of the GBT and the NRQZ make Green Bank a unique and essential location for studying the universe.