For 18 years (since 1998) the VLBI Antenna stood a few hundred meters from the center of Tsukuba University. At 32 meters in diameter it was long a grand and mysterious Tsukuba landmark. But alas, at the end of 2016, the antenna went out of service- and now, mid-January 2017, it is being dismantled.
By Avi Landau
Long term residents of Tsukuba have gotten used to saying good-bye. Those of us who are sentimental, have had to harden our hearts – or we just wouldn`t be able to keep our emotional sanity. What I`m talking about mostly is the fact that are friend are always leaving ! Amazing, talented people, from every corner of the globe, come here on short-term research or study projects…. you become friends… get close…. and then they`re gone. Sure there is email – but it`s just not the same…