Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Right so good afternoon everybody. It's a very, very happy moment for us and for me
to be here at the opening of giving the LOFAR UK station. It's been ten years since I've
been involved in LOFAR - it’s been five years we've been trying to get the money together
to build this station and only, well, less than a year ago this was just an empty field
and now its graced by this beautiful piece of architecture which is a LOFAR station.
So, I am very, very happy at this moment. At this moment I will hand over to Dame Jocelyn
Bell Burnell, who is going to say a few words and then cut the ribbon in a most ceremonial
manner.
Thank you very much. I too am very pleased to be here. I'm very glad that the UK is at
last going back to low frequencies - it's been a long time since we worked at these
frequencies, because we've been pursuing better angular resolution and we've left a lot of
stones unturned in that pursuit - so it's really, really good that we are back at these
kinds of frequencies. I am also very happy that we're collaborating with European colleagues
and extending significantly the reach of LOFAR - it gives us buy-in to a superb project
and it helps the project itself, so it's truly win-win. I realise that the Netherlands establishment
was opened by the Queen of the Netherlands - I can't quite do that but, in a similar
manner as I wield the scissors and formally open it, may I wish all who work with this
array every success and lots of stimulation and fun.
My role here is to lift the ribbon!