Editing Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (section)

== Design ==
The MOST consists of two cylindrical [[parabola|paraboloids]], 778m x 12m, separated by 15m and aligned east–west. A line feed system of 7744 circular [[Dipole antenna|dipoles]] collects the signal and feeds 176 preamplifiers and 88 IF amplifiers.

The telescope is steered by mechanical rotation of the cylindrical paraboloids about their long axis, and by phasing the feed elements along the arms. The feed elements were decommissioned in 2018 so that the telescope began to operate in transit mode only. Prior to this, the `alt-alt' system could follow a field for ± 6 hours (necessary for a complete [[aperture synthesis]] with an east–west array) for fields south of declination -30 degrees. For fields near this limit the signal-to-noise ratio is lower for the first and last hour or so due to the lower gain of the system at large '[[meridian arc]] distance' angles.
[[Image:MOST E-W.JPG|thumb|right|350px|MOST looking along E-W arm from the west.]]

[[Image:MOST N-S.JPG|thumb|right|350px|MCT antennas looking along remaining N-S arm from the north.]]

The Molonglo Cross Telescope was a 408&nbsp;MHz [[radio telescope]] built by [[Bernard Y. Mills]] and collaborators and operated by the [[University of Sydney]].<ref>[http://www.atnf.csiro.au/news/newsletter/jun06/BMills.htm 2006 Grote Reber Gold Medal awarded to Bernard Yarnton Mills, Professor emeritus at Sydney University], [[CSIRO]] [[Australia Telescope National Facility]] newsletter, June 2006, accessed 4 January 2009</ref> It telescope consisted of a north–south arm and an east–west arm in a cross shape. Each arm was approximately one mile in length. The east–west arm was split into 88 individual elements to form the current Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

===Grote Reber===
[[Image:Grote Reber memorial Molonglo Observatory.JPG|thumb|Reber memorial]]
The design of the original system owes much to pioneering radio astronomy by [[Grote Reber]] in the US and Australia, that informed Mills' work. A memorial to Reber, including some of his ashes, is sited at the telescope.