![[Big Ear Masthead]](../../masthead.gif)
![[Aerial Photo of Big Ear]](BigEarAerial.jpg)
The James Arthur Photo Collection in High Resolution
Introduction
The color photo above shows an aerial view of the famous Big Ear radio telescope. [Note that this telescope was destroyed by land developers in 1998.]
Below are shown medium resolution JPEG photos of the 33 photos that were scanned. For the first 31 photos they are arranged in the same order as in the slide show, and the original sequence numbers and captions are used. The additional 2 photos are placed at the end with captions added. A higher-resolution version for each photo is available by clicking the corresponding photo on this webpage.
James Arthur has provided two statements about his recollections of the Big Ear radio telescope (used with his permission), as follows;
"When I was taking pictures of Big Ear, I remember having the feeling that I was on sacred ground. The telescope that I was standing on had reached out billions of light years into the sky and connected our little speck of earth to the rest of the universe. I was fascinated by the geometric patterns made by the screens and steel support structures and the grove of trees that lined the entrance to the telescope like arches to a cathedral. It was a place that generated mystery at the same time it unraveled mystery. It was a place that was making history. It was like being allowed to take a peek through Galileo's telescope when he discovered the moons of Jupiter. It was so much more than the wire and steel — Big Ear embodied man's search for knowledge and meaning in the world surrounding him. Standing there you got the same type of feeling of timelessness that you get when you are at Stonehenge, where they were first predicting the movements of the stars and sun."
James S. Arthur
I don't remember exactly where I found a copy of Cosmic Search magazine, whether it was on a shelf or I had seen an ad and ordered a subscription. I read it from cover to cover and was immediately struck with the importance of the science that your father [i.e., Dr. John Kraus, Jr.'s father: Dr. John D. Kraus] was doing.
Although I was in Art school at the time, I always had an interest in Science and Astronomy since I was very young and had taken many Science courses at Indiana University. My mother was a high school Biology teacher. I had actually started taking art classes at the recommendation of my Developmental Anatomy prof, who was impressed with the illustrations in my class
notebook. I ended up taking a few art courses at night. These were the first art classes I had ever taken, and I liked them enough to change my major. Photography was a part of the curriculum.
I noticed that Cosmic Search magazine could use some help with its illustrations and wrote to your father asking to volunteer to illustrate for the magazine for free. He responded positively and since Ohio wasn't that far from Indiana, I took a trip there in my car to see the telescope and meet your father. He was very gracious and gave me a complete tour of the telescope.
I also met a Dr. Dixon. It was during this visit that I took the photographs and I think it must have been in the early summer of 1980.
We worked out an arrangement where he would mail me descriptions of the illustration he wanted and I would mail the finished illustrations back to him. I was very happy to be associated in some small way with the efforts of your father. I do remember being very inspired by my visit there. To me, it was the most exciting research being done on the planet. Meeting your father and seeing the telescope was a great adventure for me.
James S. Arthur
Note. Click each photo to obtain a higher resolution version.
Copyright © 1996-2006 Ohio State University Radio Observatory and North American AstroPhysical Observatory.
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