Editing Jodrell Bank Observatory (section)

== Searchlight telescope ==
A [[searchlight]] was loaned to Jodrell Bank in 1946 by the army;<ref name="story_10">Lovell, ''The Story of Jodrell Bank'', p. 10</ref> a broadside array, was constructed on its mount by J. Clegg.<ref name="story_10"/> It consisted of 7 elements of [[Yagi–Uda antenna]]s.<ref name="astronomer_129">Astronomer by Chance, p. 129</ref> It was used for astronomical observations in October 1946.<ref name="astronomer_128">Astronomer by Chance, p. 128</ref>

On 9 and 10 October 1946, the telescope observed ionisation in the atmosphere caused by meteors in the [[Giacobinids]] meteor shower. When the antenna was turned by 90 degrees at the maximum of the shower, the number of detections dropped to the background level, proving that the transient signals detected by radar were from meteors.<ref name="astronomer_129"/> The telescope was then used to determine the radiant points for meteors. This was possible as the echo rate is at a minimum at the radiant point, and a maximum at 90 degrees to it.<ref name="story_10"/> The telescope and other receivers on the site studied the [[Aurora (astronomy)|auroral streamer]]s that were visible in early August 1947.<ref name="story_15">Lovell, ''The Story of Jodrell Bank'', p. 15</ref><ref name="astronomer_186">Astronomer by Chance, p. 186</ref>