Dwingeloo Telescope postcard 1955

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This postcard is probably from late 1955: it shows the finished Dwingeloo Telescope, but the area is still a construction site, far from ready for the official opening on 17 April 1956.

Part of the support structure for the dish during construction is still there, with a sign "Werkspoor Afd. Bruggenbouw" (bridge construction department).

A highlight of this photo is that it was taken during work on the feed. The antenna mast is down, someone (ir. Muller?) is seen up on the balcony of the telescope. The mast does not reach quite to the ground, so a platform is needed to reach it. The stairs to this platform are still part of the telescope today, although the mast has been replaced by a quadrupod.

The original postcard is in black and white, I colorized it with AI (and manual corrections).