This is the centre of the inner-ring of the particle accelerator, known as the "bull ring". It was here that Farnsworth described the meticulous process involved in bringing a particle accelerator online. The steel container which holds the beamline must be baked at high temperature to remove contaminants before assembly.
If something goes wrong with the beamline it can pierce the side of the vessel, in which case the whole system needs to be reassembled.
After months of work, Farnsworth said the moment when the synchrotron comes online is known as "first light". What happens then? "We have a big party," he said.
