Analysis of the data from my hydrogen horn in Lichfield has now been completed using observations collected up to 22 June. The results are very encouraging and are illustrated by three key diagrams:
- Mass distribution of the Milky Way: This shows a clear linear relationship indicating that the enclosed mass increases with distance from the Galactic Centre, as expected.
- Galactic rotation curve: The rotation velocity remains approximately constant with increasing distance from the Galactic Centre, providing evidence consistent with the presence of dark matter.
- Preliminary spiral arm map: The data have also produced the beginnings of a successful map of the Milky Way’s spiral structure.
Following a review of the equipment in my garage, I believe I have enough materials to donate the components needed for Walsall Astronomical Society to build its own SETI League Horn of Plenty hydrogen radio telescope. This gift would include the horn antenna, mounting materials and timber. The club would probably only need to purchase the receiver components, principally a software-defined radio (SDR) and a low-noise amplifier (LNA).
To make this project happen, I need confirmation from the club that it wishes to proceed, together with volunteers willing to come to my house and help build the telescope, as it is more than I can manage alone. I will be in America until 15 August at the SARA Eastern Conference (at Green Bank Observatory, where the original Ewen hydrogen horn on which the Horn of Plenty is based is located, but once I return we can arrange a suitable date to begin construction.
Diagrams below in order are: (i) early map of Milky Way arms, (ii) weighing Milky Way from 2kpc to 8kpc distance from Galactic Centre, and (iii) plot of Galactic velocity with distance from Galactic Centre from 4kpc to 8kpc, demonstrating the smoking gun results that have been interpreted as being due to the presence of dark matter.
