Arecibo Observatory radio telescope decommissioned...

[SteyrAUG]

Ostensibly due to damage suffered from hurricane Maria and two earthquakes, but we all know it is a result of dramatic SETI results.

:sarcastic:

The NSF announced on November 19, 2020 that it would decommission and dismantle the telescope, while other facilities at the observatory would continue operating.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/The_Arecibo_Observatory_20151101114231-0_8e7cc_c7a44aca_orig.jpg

[utahjeepr]

I read about this. Off the cuff it feels like the loss of a national treasure, but I don't know how much of a loss it actually is. How relevant is it today?

What I read stated that the main cause is that the cables deteriorated over time. Now that cables have started failing it is too dangerous to try to repair it.

Sounds a lot like government "efficiency" in action yet again. But hey it's only taxpayer money.

[Slater]

Maybe it detected VGER on it's way back to Earth.

[Diamondback]

Sad... they just had its starring appearance in GoldenEye on the other night.

[jpmuscle]

With multi network radio telescopes I imagine it’s irrelevant nowadays but it’s disheartening from a cool factor standpoint.

In any case humanity doesn’t deserve the stars ...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Diamondback]

With multi network radio telescopes I imagine it’s irrelevant nowadays but it’s disheartening from a cool factor standpoint.

In any case humanity doesn’t deserve the stars ...

If I'm ET, I order this entire star system quarantined along with everything between here and Alpha Centauri.

[Averageman]

Once they decommission it, it's going to make a hell of a skateboard park.

[kerplode]

That's a bummer.

I had a work trip to PR in the early 2000's and took a side trip to see Arecibo on a day off. Driving that twisty little road up the mountain and seeing the thing rise out of the jungle as I got closer was pretty damn impressive.

[Disciple]

A good description of the problems.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEe4Wlc5Vp0

[SteyrAUG]

Maybe it detected VGER on it's way back to Earth.

More likely a message from Vega.

[The_War_Wagon]

If I'm ET, I order this entire star system quarantined along with everything between here and Alpha Centauri.


http://youtu.be/T3AiWL-UHuY

[utahjeepr]

The telescope collapsed today. The receiver platform suspended above the dish broke free and fell. I hear the support towers came crashing down as well.

[Grand58742]

Sad.

https://www.space.com/arecibo-radio-telescope-collapses

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EoJsJl0XUAI3XfT?format=jpg&name=large

ETA:

https://s.abcnews.com/images/General/arecibo-collapse-ht-jt-120120_1606841061736_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg

https://www.sciencemag.org/sites/default/files/styles/article_main_image_-_1280w__no_aspect_/public/arecibo_1280p_0.jpg?itok=ASgBntK7

https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EoKhkcCXMAY5-10.jpg

[utahjeepr]

From the pics it looks like only the top 40 foot sections came off the masts. One of the demo options was to blow the cables with small charges. There was some fear that the release of tension would send the masts toppling outward. Glad to see those big columns of concrete mostly stayed put. A whole lot less complicated to drop those in a controlled manner now. The way it collapsed may have been for the best, that was a whole lot of stored energy up there.

[TehLlama]

The way it collapsed may have been for the best, that was a whole lot of stored energy up there.

Yup, when a cascading failure with a lot of energy starts taking the course to a new low energy state, this type of outcome is actually pretty good.

[kaiservontexas]

Sad to see it go even in a world of virtual radio array telescopes orbiting in space.

[Grand58742]

Video footage of the collapse. It really shows the failure after the 0:40 mark.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssHkMWcGat4

[Sam]

007 blew it up ! I have the real video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HFkF8904Uw

[Novak]

More likely a message from Vega.

Vegans are based AF.