UK's iconic Jodrell Bank telescope faces axe in science cuts
Summary
The Jodrell Bank Observatory in the UK, home to the Lovell telescope, has lost its funding and may close by April 2028 unless new funds are found. The decision follows cuts by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which is focusing on funding research with direct economic benefits, affecting many UK and international astronomy projects.Key Facts
- Jodrell Bank Observatory has housed the UK's largest telescope, the Lovell telescope, for nearly 70 years.
- UKRI cut the observatory’s £2.8 million annual funding due to increased costs in other physics research and lab operations.
- If no alternative funding is found, all scientific observations there will stop by April 1, 2028.
- The observatory played a key role in pioneering radio astronomy and Cold War missile monitoring.
- The site was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2019.
- The funding cuts also affect UK involvement in other major astronomy projects like the James Clark Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii and the Vera Rubin Telescope in Chile.
- Around 28 jobs are at risk at Jodrell Bank, and nearly 3,000 scientists use its facilities for research.
- Observers, including UK astronomers, describe the funding cut as very damaging to UK science and are seeking ways to challenge or replace the lost funding.
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