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Renaming the Very Large Array

Posted by Soulskill on from the how-about-the-really-big-array dept.

New submitter mercurywoodrose writes "To commemorate a decade-long electronics upgrade, the Very Large Array in New Mexico is up for renaming. Submissions may be made at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's website until December 1."

10 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. BART by JavaBear · · Score: 5, Funny

    Big Ass Radio Telescope ?

  2. I propose... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    int *A = malloc(SIZE_MAX);

  3. What about ... by maxwell+demon · · Score: 1, Funny

    VLA 2.0? :-)

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  4. Tip a hat to Slashdot by White+Flame · · Score: 3, Funny

    IABCOD "Imagine a Beowulf cluster of dishes!"

  5. I know! by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 3, Funny

    How about "Paul"?

  6. Re:How about Sagan by curio_city · · Score: 5, Funny

    Super Awesome Group of ANtennae?

  7. Re:Some perspective is in order. by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 3, Funny

    If that naming convention is going to be continued, each generation should at least sound bigger than the previous. To my ear, "Pretty Big Array" does not sound quite as big as "Very Large Array" (I'm not a native english speaker so I could be wrong). Anyway, its probably better to ditch this naming convention as you will end up in stupid names in relatively short time. For example, in few generations you could end up with something like "Ridiculously Oversized Array"

    But that was my whole point. We should start back a ways. Otherwise, we'll end up having "The Very Very Large Array", "The Even Larger Array", "Yet Another Extremely Sizable Array", and "Jesus Christ! Would You Look At That Array!"

    I think if we back up a bit, and start small, it will give us more room to grow.

  8. BFA 9000 by Jonah+Hex · · Score: 4, Funny

    Modify it a bit to BFA 9000

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  9. Re:The COLBERT array. by amRadioHed · · Score: 5, Funny

    How about "Configurable Observatory of Large Baseline Enhanced Radio Telescopes"

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  10. If size is so important... by itsdapead · · Score: 3, Funny

    If this size-based naming goes much further we're going to end up with telescopes with names like The Bigger Than The Very Large Array But Not As Big As The Extremely Large Array Array...

    Or they could just admit to their resolution envy and call it the Particularly Enormous Network of Interferometric Sensors.

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