Jodrell Bank. Telescope controller John Wheatcroft in the control room at Jodrell Bank radio observatory near Manchester, England. Part of the structure of the Mark 1A telescope is visible through the window. The control panel in front of Wheatcroft provides information on the telescopes which form the MERLIN network. This very long baseline interfometry (VLBI) network in effect forms a telescope with a diameter of 127 km, giving extremely high resolution images of astronomical objects. Since 1987, MERLIN has combined with radio telescopes in Cambridge & throughout Europe to form the European VLBI Network (EVN). Photo taken May 1987.