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On 15 August 1997, radio astronomers and SETI League members from around the US gathered at the Ohio State Radio Observatory, to mark the 20th anniversary of the reception of the "Wow!" signal, the most credible (and tantalizing) candidate SETI signal to date. This cake depicts the actual "Wow!" computer printout made famous in the TV Series "The X-Files." SETI League photo

The "Wow!" anniversary was also a sad occasion. The land under the telescope has been sold to make way for a commercial golf course, and the antenna itself will be razed by the end of 1997. Not wanting the demolition crew to strike the first blow, in a symbolic act of destruction Dr. Jerry "Wow!" Ehman takes bolt-cutters to the declination reflector, as Radio Observatory assistant diector Dr. Robert Dixon looks on. SETI League photo

Dr. Robert S. Dixon, who also serves on The SETI League's advisory board, tells of the Big Ear radio telescope's proud history, and lays out plans for the Argus-type instrument which will soon be built to carry on its work. SETI League photo

The Kraus-type telescope at the Ohio State Radio Observatory (affectionally known as "Big Ear") is one of the world's great radio telescopes. Its history and technical specifications appear in this article. SETI League photo

Big Ear's elevation (declination) rotor consists of this tiltable flat reflector. Azimuth (right ascention) steering is provided for us by Nature herself, courtesy of the Earth's rotational axis. SETI League photo

The declination reflector seems to be saluting the rising moon in this view, as if to bid it farewell. SETI League photo

Facing the declination reflector across a 3 1/2 acre aluminum groundplane is Big Ear's fixed parabolic reflector. Clearly visible in the foreground are bulldozer tread marks, evidence of the land developers' efforts to prepare the site for demolition. SETI League photo

A total of four giant 1.4 GHz feedhorns collect energy focused by the fixed parabolic reflector, and apply it to a pair of low-noise preamplifiers. The signals from two pairs of offset feeds are added 180 degrees out of phase, so as to cancel out any terrestrial interference. SETI League photo

Bob Dixon explains the railroad track and wheel arrangement which allows the feedhorns to follow a target across the sky for up to an hour. This arrangement was designed in direct reaction to the telescope's inability to view the "Wow!" event for more than a few minutes. The sign on the receiver enclosure behind Dr. Dixon says "SETI Eastwestern Railway." SETI League photo

The Flag of Earth flies at half-staff above the Big Ear Radio Telescope in memory of SETI pioneers Barney Oliver and Carl Sagan, and also in honor of the facility's impending demise. SETI League photo

Attendees at the "Wow!" 20th Anniversary Celebration were treated to clear skys and this nearly full moon rising over the antenna, and visible here through the mesh of the declination reflector. SETI League photo

Dr. Jerry Ehman, discoverer of the "Wow!" signal, reminisces about the excitement of seeing for the first time what he still considers possible evidence of other technological civilizations in space. Moments later, Bob Dixon showed him the original computer printout, in the margin of which he had penned his historic reaction. Jerry hadn't seen the actual "Wow!" printout in twenty years. His "Wow! 20th Anniversary Report" appears here. SETI League photo

The sun sets over the Big Ear radio telescope's 3 1/2 acre aluminum ground-plane for nearly the last time, as radio astronomers and SETIzens of the world bid farewell to an old friend. SETI League photo

SETI League supporters can now own a piece of history. When the Ohio State University "Big Ear" radio telescope was demolished earlier this year, we salvaged a hundred pieces of its mesh surface. For a suitable contribution, you can obtain a handsome plaque honoring one of the world's great radio telescopes, home to the longest running SETI project ever. See this Press Release for further details. The memorial plaque depicted here went on sale just one year after the "Wow!" 20th Anniversary celebration. SETI League photo

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