The Australia Telescope is located 25 kilometres from Narrabri and near Yarrie Lake. There are 6 gleaming whites 22 metre dishes which are the most powerful radio telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere.
At the observatory there are five huge antennas that can be moved along a 3km trail in an east-west direction and also along a 230m north-south track. Each antenna weighs 270 tonnes and can be moved to selected points along the rail track. A sixth antenna is situated a further 3km west of the main track. Using this configuration the combined power of the antennas can simulate a single dish 6 km in diameter. To allow the telescope to achieve even higher resolution, a dish a Coonabarabran can link itself, and the Narrabri array with the “grand old lady” at Parkes to act as one telescope, measuring 320 km in diameter.
