Jodrell Bank reaches for the stars

The Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank is an iconic landmark in the Cheshire landscape. Liverpool Cathedral can be seen on the horizon 45 miles away Photograph: Anthony Holloway/PR

Within months of being completed in 1957 the telescope was helping to track Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in October 1957 Photograph: Anthony Holloway/PR

Lovell is part of the Merlin array of seven radio telescopes across central England Photograph: James Randerson/guardian.co.uk

The telescope is a grade 1 listed structure Photograph: James Randerson/Guardian

A radio image created by the Merlin array showing M82, a 'starburst galaxy' where there is a high rate of star formation Photograph: PR

The control room of the Lovell Telescope Photograph: PR

Astronomer Dr Tim O’Brien in the control room of the Lovell Telescope Photograph: James Randerson/Guardian

Real-time weather data is crucial to the safe operation of the telescope. The dish is shaped like a sail, so high winds could push it off its moorings Photograph: James Randerson/Guardian

The dish in 'parked position' to avoid damage in high winds Photograph: James Randerson/Guardian

Sir Bernard Lovell, founder of the Jodrell Bank Observatory and radio astronomy pioneer Photograph: PR

The original dish surface. A new surface was built above it in 1970/71 Photograph: James Randerson/Guardian

The new dish is 76.3 metres across with a surface area of 5,270 square metres Photograph: Anthony Holloway/PR

Repainting the dish takes three coats and 5,300 litres of paint Photograph: James Randerson/Guardian

The telescope’s feet stand on a circular track 107.5 metres in diameter, allowing it to be rotated through 360 degrees Photograph: James Randerson/Guardian

Jodrell Bank has featured in science fiction TV series Dr Who and the Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy Photograph: James Randerson/Guardian