Visiting Davis Mountains SP and surrounding areas will inevitably raise travelers’ curiosity, especially if you spot the view in the photo above. Although nature is the main focus in the park (I have several photos of Skyline Drive, for example), you also run into places such as this VLBA antenna and The University of Texas’s McDonald Observatory. This antenna is not easy to spot unless you do some hikes around the park. The Indian Lodge Trail may offer you a glimpse of that antenna, but the best views will be from the Limpia Creek Vista Trail. The following photo was taken from that trail with my zoom lens at 200 mm. Now, you have to remember that the antenna is constantly in motion. So, sometimes you see it, and then you don’t.
This is one of the ten antennae doing radio astronomy research. They are called VLBA (Very Long Baseline Array) antennae in the scientific world. Each antenna is 260 tons, 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter, and controlled centrally in Socorro, New Mexico. The data they gather allows astronomers to do detailed studies of celestial objects. If you are a sci-fi movie fan, you might recall seeing them in the 1997 movie Contact (with Jodie Foster & Matthew McConaughey). The antenna’s precision is such that a person can be in Los Angeles and read a newspaper in New York using these telescopes.
The location for this particular antenna I discovered while hiking the Limpia Creek Vista Trail at Davis Mountains SP. That trail tends to be overlooked by park visitors because it is located across Highway 118, on the other side of the park entrance and camping area. To hike that trail, a visitor must obtain a gate code at the park headquarters. Once on the trail, after the initial ascent, the views of the Davis Mountains are expansive. That is when we spotted the antenna from the top of the trail. I was able to visualize the small Sproul Road near the Prude Ranch. The Sproul Road is the one to take to get to the VLBA antenna.
The day I made these photos, we were lucky enough to get right at the antenna base and talk with one of the on-site technicians. The area is fenced off, but the technician saw us outside the fence and opened it for us. I am unsure if the site is always open, but someone was there when we drove up that day. I even got my husband to get a photo of me at the antenna base.
The information I shared here was obtained from a sign at the entrance of this site. This location is administered by the National Science Foundation.
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Rebecca Cuningham
Very cool, glad you got a photo and the friendly researcher let you into the site! We hope to follow in your footsteps and see this installation one day. : )
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Rebecca. If you get the chance, do it. It’s a wonderful sight.
Tra Italia e Finlandia
Interessantissimo! Grazie per la condivisione.
Egidio Leitao
Grazie.
restlessjo
What a great experience. There’s definitely something otherworldly about them, Egidio. Great photos!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Jo. Yes, I am amazed at their size, too.
margaret21
Your post title drew me in! Extraordinary photos of an extraordinary building. By the way, I am commenting on the Reader, as I can’t directly onto your blog.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Margaret. I use the Reader for commenting all the time. Do you think there is an issue with my blog? I have not heard from other readers about any problems.
margaret21
I don’t know. WP is odd. It’s recently started to send to spam comments from another WP blogger who’s been a blogging-pal for years. Perhaps it’s decided it doesn’t like me reading your posts now …
Egidio Leitao
It’s a WP thing. Today, after a long time, I found three comments from regular readers of my blog in the spam. Nothing in their notes were suspicious. I always look at my WP spam because of that.
margaret21
sigh
Toonsarah
Wow, this is all so fascinating. We visited the VLA in New Mexico but these antenna seem perhaps even more other-worldly, standing alone in the landscape like this!
Egidio Leitao
Sarah, you made a very good point. Out there, in the middle of West Texas, the antenna stands out when it’s within view. Thanks for your comment.
Writing to Freedom
Thanks for all the background facts about the antennae Egidio. I have seen a space telescope but not an antennae close up.
Egidio Leitao
You’re welcome, Brad. I am glad you enjoyed the facts. Thank you for commenting.
Amy
Thank you for sharing with us, Egidio!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Amy, for the comment.