No, the Stanford Dish Isn't Listening for Aliens -- but It Was Built to Spy on Russia
On the western edge of Stanford University's sprawling, 8,180-acre campus stands a giant satellite dish pointed at the sky. It's known simply as "The Dish," and it stands out among Stanford's rolling hills — green or yellow, depending on the season.
"Who built The Dish?" asked former Menlo Park resident Jim Timmins. He also wanted to know, "When was it built? For what purpose? Is it still in service? If it's not in service, when was it taken out of service?"
Timmins retired from a career in finance four years ago and moved to a dairy farm outside of Toronto, Canada. But he still listens to Bay Curious, and he still dreams about The Dish — not just the satellite dish, but the sprawling park and walking paths surrounding the massive saucer that thousands of people visit each year.
"It’s just an incredible view," Timmins explained. "I can remember it like it was yesterday. To the west, is the Pacific Ocean. To the south, I could see past San Jose. To the east, I could see well into the Central Valley. And to the north, I could see all the way past San Francisco and the Golden Gate in to Marin."
Read more: https://www.kqed.org/news/11912590/no-the-stanford-dish-isnt-listening-for-aliens-but-it-was-designed-to-spy-on-russia
The Dish, aka the Stanford Dish, is a radio antenna in the Stanford foothills. It's also an iconic local landmark, and the centerpiece of a popular hiking path on the Stanford campus. (Rachael Myrow/KQED)