Broken Cable Damages Arecibo Observatory

[multiweb (Marc)]

https://www.ucf.edu/news/broken-cabl...o-observatory/

[LewisM]

ET didn't want us...


That's a lot of damage.

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Where will Jodie Foster go now?

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Originally Posted by Hans Tucker

Where will Jodie Foster go now?

Certainly won't be ' contacting ' anyone ....

[glend (Glen)]

The blind guy tripped over it.

[Pepper (Steve)]

Holy smokes. Joints trashed.
They are in trouble when mum and dad get home.

[Sunfish (Ray)]

Some bad Juju there. Rusty cable fittings maybe.

[Rainmaker (Matt)]

Arecibo Radio Telescope is to be decommissioned............

https://spacenews.com/nsf-to-decommi..._mlZbQXYhSQT_Y

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by Rainmaker

Arecibo Radio Telescope is to be decommissioned............

https://spacenews.com/nsf-to-decommi..._mlZbQXYhSQT_Y

Well that sucks...

[julianh72 (Julian)]

Originally Posted by Rainmaker

Arecibo Radio Telescope is to be decommissioned............

https://spacenews.com/nsf-to-decommi..._mlZbQXYhSQT_Y

That's terrible news!

I guess that still leaves the even-bigger Chinese Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) as a working option - but apparently, FAST can't do "active radar" work, so it can’t take Arecibo’s place in characterizing asteroids and their orbits.

And in any case - nobody seems to be getting on very well with China these days ...

[alpal]

Yes -it's gone forever - what a pity.


https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55008567




The iconic Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico is to be dismantled amid safety fears, officials have announced.


A review found that the 305m telescope was at risk of catastrophic collapse, following damage to its support system.


It concluded that the huge structure could not be repaired without posing a potentially deadly risk to construction workers.


The telescope has been a key scientific resource for radio astronomers for 57 years.


Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the US National Science Foundation (NSF), which funds the telescope, said in a statement: "NSF prioritises the safety of workers, Arecibo Observatory's staff and visitors, which makes this decision necessary, although unfortunate."


The telescope consists of a radio dish that's 305 metres (1,000ft) wide with a 900-tonne instrument platform hanging 137m (450ft) above. The platform is suspended by cables connected to three towers.


Engineers had been examining the structure since August when one of its support cables snapped.

[TrevorW]

Sad but hopefully they do a good job of cleaning cleaning up the site

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

I guess China's Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) will take over now. Sad times though .. Arecibo Observatory was available to the Radio Astronomers around world .. China will not be so accommodating or inviting.