Astronomers using the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) have found that when a supermassive black hole tears apart an unlucky star, the fireworks are not over when the first flash fades. Years after the initial outburst, many of these black holes “burp” out streams of material that slam into surrounding gas and glow in radio waves.
The proposed array’s design will improve on the sensitivity and spatial resolution—with 10 times the effective collecting area and resolution—over the current NSF VLA and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at the same wavelengths.
Scheduled for April 18, the workshop offers participants the rare opportunity to capture stunning images of the cosmos from one of the world’s most remarkable and bespoke astronomical settings.
The U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) invites the public to the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) for its annual Spring Open House on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.