1905-1950

American radio engineer who discovered the first extraterrestrial radio source. While investigating noise in short-wave radio communications, Jansky identified a steady hiss-type static and demonstrated its source to be the center of the Milky Way (1932). Since interstellar dust obscures many astronomical objects of interest, such as the galactic core, from optical instruments, Jansky's discovery established the utility of radio observations in astronomy. Jansky also helped to refine the design of transmitting and receiving antennas.