Rock legend, Deep Purple lead singer Ian Gillan has visited Armenia to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Rock Aid Armenia charity. Before coming to Yerevan, Gillan read several works by Armenian scientist Paris Herouni and asked if a short tour to Herouni’s unique radio-optical telescope could be organized on the margins of his visit to Armenia.
On June 7 Mediamax team accompanied Gillan to Mount Aragats, where the telescope stands near Ogrov and Tegher villages.
The “miraculous” road
The car is taking us to the Aragats science center by a narrow mountain road. Ian Gillan is reading, but from time to time he tears himself away from the text to talk to others or look at the scenery. Every time he does it, we hear him whispering: “Miraculous.”
Gillan is holding a sheet of paper with information about Paris Herouni and his telescope. Although Gillan learned about the telescope from a scientist friend months ago and studied Professor Herouni’s works, he wants to go over the information one more time.
Meeting the scientific giant
The word Ian Gillan says most often after seeing the huge telescope is “magical”. Head of the Herouni United Space Center project, Professor of National Polytechnic University of Armenia Dr. Arevik Sargsyan tells him how the ROT-54/2.6 radio-optical telescope was designed and constructed, crowning 17 years of intense struggle. She notes that the Radio telescope has no analogue in the world.
Ian Gillan and Arevik Sargsyan Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Arevik Sargsyan adds that it is the only instrument combining the functions of astronomical and radio telescopes simultaneously. ROT-54 has surface accuracy of 70/100μ and can work on 200mm to 1mm-long waves. It has an extremely high sensitivity and gain factor, very narrow beam.
“Is it a norm or a unique quality?” asks Gillan.
“It is unique,” confirms Arevik Sargsyan.
“The spherical radio reflector of the telescope is fixed in the ground. It is 54m in diameter, with using aperture of 32m in each direction of the antenna beam. The main spherical reflector is constructed from more than 3800 aluminium panels. All panels were melted by hand. Professor Herouni wanted to order the task , but no any metallurgic plant of the Soviet Union agreed that they could do it because the panels had to be very durable and shouldn't contain any inclusion, for example bubbles of air.
Ian Gillan and Arevik Sargsyan Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Professor Herouni found master Grigor who had been employed at Yerevan Aluminum Plant. He said he could melt antenna surface panels by hand, using old technologies. He asked for a special type of red clay from Southern Russia and used it to make a matrix for molding. After that all panels were been processed on a few polishing machines here in our plant, ” tells Dr. Arevik Sargsyan.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
“Amazing. This is just magical,” responds Ian Gillan.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
At the Control Desks Building, from where the management of Radio telescope have been done back in the day, Arevik tells Gillan about Herouni’s observations and radio flare registered during very first test of antenna, as well as about their efforts to revive the Radio telescope.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Ian Gillan is treated to a short “unplugged” concert at the entrance of the Control Desks Building, after which Arevik Sargsyan introduces the Smart-sundial designed by Paris Herouni.
Ian Gillan and Arevik SargsyanPhoto: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Afterwards, the guests are taken to the tunnel under the Radio telescope.
The silence of scientific community and the voice of Gillan
The rock legend is particularly interested in Paris Herouni’s research disputing the Big Bang Theory.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
“According to the Big Bang Theory, there must be residual radiation in the universe, but the ROT-54 telescope did not detect it, which he believed proved that there was never a Big Bang,” he explains.
Ian Gillan is particularly surprised by the lack of reaction to Herouni’s findings on the part of the scientific community.
“This is a dream come true,” Gillan tells Mediamax after emerging from the tunnel.
Ian Gillan Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
“It’s absolutely amazing. This telescope is unique. It is the most sensitive in the world. Professor Herouni’s discoveries using this telescope are world-shattering. I would like one answer: why, when he sent his measurements to the ten greatest institutes in the world to look for any mistakes or corrections, he didn’t receive one reply? I think I know the answer: because they made a big mistake. The purpose of my visit is to see for myself and understand the enormity of this project.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Its future is dependent upon the establishment recognizing Professor Herouni’s great discovery, which is not just great for science, it is great for the Armenian people. I’m thrilled to be just a very humble part of this, but I would like to spread the message and ask that question all around the world and see what the response is. And if the answer is still complete silence, then we know that Herouni was right,” says Gillan.
Unusual lunch and guests from different corners of the world
Around an hour later Ian Gillan and other guests return to the Control Desks Building to find it transformed: tables have been placed opposite to the center’s equipment so the guests can have lunch. According to Arevik Sargsyan, this is the first time they host an entertainment inside of that Building.
The tables gather people from different corners of the world: Poland, Russia, Denmark, etc. Some visitors have come for the particular reason of meeting Ian Gillan, and others were just lucky to come to the center on the same day as him.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
21-year-old Jeppe Strands from Denmark is an UWC Dilijan alumnus. He decided to stay in Armenia after graduating and is currently involved in volunteering efforts in Artanish village (Gegharkunik marz) with a group of friends. He knew about the Radio telescope for a long time and visited the center a few times. According to Jeppe, there is no way he would miss the chance to meet Gillan.
“I used to play in a rock band, I was the drummer. I’m a big fan of Ian Gillan. It’s amazing that greats like him spread values outside of music in the world,” says Jeppe.
Marie Taryan
Photos by Vaghinak Ghazaryan (specially for Mediamax)
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