FIRST LIGHT / JANUARY 19, 2015

Please find a simple plot showing one of the first spectra acquired by the newly outfitted TLM-18 Antenna system.   The data are in very raw form, but there is a clear peak riding on top of the noise background at 0.4 MHz (actually 1420.4 MHz), which is the well-known 21 cm radiation from the Milky Way.    It was acquired shortly after noon (EST) 01/19/2015, with the dish pointing south at an elevation of 45 degrees above the horizon.

Although much remains to be done, this accomplishment represents an important milestone in the TIROS restoration project.

The dish is acquiring more data as this is written.  We have modest remote access capability and will post more data as it becomes available.

Sincerely,
Dan Marlow
for the
TIROS Restoration Team