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Holmdel Horn Antenna.

Horn Antenna: Big Bang Detector

Field review by the editors.

Holmdel, New Jersey

Atop Crawford Hill -- the highest point in Monmouth County -- stands the Bell Labs Horn Antenna. In 1965 it first detected noise that turned out to be microwave background radiation from the creation of the universe -- the echo of the Big Bang. This earned Nobel Prizes for two eavesdropping radio astronomers in 1978.

The 35 acres surrounding the antenna, and the antenna itself (an official National Landmark), were preserved as a town park in 2024.

Horn Antenna: Big Bang Detector

Dr. Robert Wilson Park

Address:
791 Holmdel Rd, Holmdel, NJ
Directions:
On the property of the old Crawfords Hill Bell Labs, the antenna and historical plaque can be reached by a road winding up past the building.
Hours:
Business hours.
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In the region:
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