Green Science

© MCC

Three score years ago, during the fundamental fifties, a certain kind of people complained that the new 25m Dwingeloo dish was an eyesore that polluted the pristine landscape(*). Ever sensitive to public opinion, the SRZM management hired some expensive consultants who recommended that, in order to blend in with the surroundings, the upper half of the telescope should be painted sky-blue, and the lower half a leafy green. They somehow overlooked that the Dutch sky is not always blue (see the picture), and that the woods reflect at least fifty shades of green.

Today, the unnatural color of the newly reconstituted astronomy wing demonstrates that effective mimicry is not so easy (although it at least hides the new management wing behind it). But inside the green walls, because of green-body radiation, ASTRON astronomers will naturally develop green thoughts. For instance, they may contemplate the vexing question why the objects in the Universe are red or yellow or ultraviolet (or simply dark), but almost never green. Rare exceptions are Hanny's Voorwerp, and the Green Flash. The former is sponsored by the Director of ASTRON, while the latter may only be sighted once in a blue moon.

Research continues. Just watch our green scientific output increase exponentially, leaving other institutes green with mixed emotions.

(*) 50 years later, the same kind of people argued that the telescope is an inalienable feature of the Dwingeloo horizon, and should be preserved for ever. This time, we followed their suggestion.