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RIP Arecibo
#1

RIP Arecibo
Apparently, the damage from the recent snapped cables is just too much.

Fuck you, 2020.  Just... fuck you. Sadcryface
"Aliens?  Us?  Is this one of your Earth jokes?"  -- Kro-Bar, The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra
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#2

RIP Arecibo
We should be building these kinds of things in orbit, not in the grip of earth's gravity.  A telescope with a million times the effective resolution of Arecibo could be constructed in orbit from lightweight carbon-fiber beams - 9 tons of material instead of 900 tons, and without needing to be able to survive wind or salt air.  Losing Arecibo might be just the kick in the ass needed to do its replacement project properly, 900 miles up instead of 900 feet up.
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#3

RIP Arecibo
While it's sad to see a piece of science history fade away.

One can only hope the new found need to get to the Moon will give people ideas of what to find useful to build there.

I do think there was talk of a similar dish set up in a crater on the 'Dark side' of the Moon. The better to completly sheild such a dish from our incessant EM polutions.

One can only hope Elon has caught on with the notion.

Not at work.
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#4

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 06:32 AM)Peebothuhlu Wrote: While it's sad to see a piece of science history fade away.

One can only hope the new found need to get to the Moon will give people ideas of what to find useful to build there.

I do think there was talk of a similar dish set up in a crater on the 'Dark side' of the Moon. The better to completly sheild such a dish from our incessant EM polutions.

One can only hope Elon has caught on with the notion.

Not at work.

There is no dark side. There is, however, a far side.
“Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet. 
Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.”
― Napoleon Bonaparte
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#5

RIP Arecibo
Much to the surprise of astronomers around the globe the earth emerged from 4 years of having a dark side they hadn't realized was as unilluminated as it was.
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#6

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 07:05 AM)Chas Wrote: There is no dark side. There is, however, a far side.

Technically-speaking one side of the moon is always dark.

It's just a different side from our perspective.      Whistling
I'm a creationist;   I believe that man created God.
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#7

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 06:16 AM)airportkid Wrote: We should be building these kinds of things in orbit, not in the grip of earth's gravity.  A telescope with a million times the effective resolution of Arecibo could be constructed in orbit from lightweight carbon-fiber beams - 9 tons of material instead of 900 tons, and without needing to be able to survive wind or salt air.  Losing Arecibo might be just the kick in the ass needed to do its replacement project properly, 900 miles up instead of 900 feet up.

I think the Hubble has proven your point.  Didn't someone just launch another orbital telescope?

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubbl...index.html


[Image: stsci-h-p2042a-f-horiz.jpg]


Wonderful!
Robert G. Ingersoll : “No man with a sense of humor ever founded a religion.”
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#8

RIP Arecibo
the National Science Foundation Wrote:Following a review of engineering assessments that found damage to the Arecibo Observatory cannot be stabilized without risk to construction workers and staff at the facility, the U.S. National Science Foundation will begin plans to decommission the 305-meter telescope, which for 57 years has served as a world-class resource for radio astronomy, planetary, solar system and geospace research.

The decision comes after NSF evaluated multiple assessments by independent engineering companies that found the telescope structure is in danger of a catastrophic failure and its cables may no longer be capable of carrying the loads they were designed to support. Furthermore, several assessments stated that any attempts at repairs could put workers in potentially life-threatening danger. Even in the event of repairs going forward, engineers found that the structure would likely present long-term stability issues.

https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=301674

Almost six decades of workhorse science!
On hiatus.
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#9

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 03:49 PM)Minimalist Wrote: I think the Hubble has proven your point.  Didn't someone just launch another orbital telescope?

Spitzer and Kepler come to mind.
[Image: M-Spr20-Weapons-FEATURED-1-1200x350-c-default.jpg]
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#10

RIP Arecibo
TY.

As Thump points out it worked for 60 years but technology has made earth based observatories obsolete.  Launch a replacement and name it "Arecibo II".
Robert G. Ingersoll : “No man with a sense of humor ever founded a religion.”
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#11

RIP Arecibo
The Webb Telescope will be launched in Oct 2021 if the schedule holds.
On hiatus.
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#12

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 04:16 PM)Minimalist Wrote: TY.

As Thump points out it worked for 60 years but technology has made earth based observatories obsolete.  Launch a replacement and name it "Arecibo II".

I wouldn't say "obsolete", but perhaps second-line. I think there's still use for terrestrial radio-astronomy, I think.
On hiatus.
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#13

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 07:05 AM)Chas Wrote: There is no dark side. There is, however, a far side.

Indeed.

That's why I added the '...' in there. Thumbs Up
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#14

RIP Arecibo
The thing is, this represents the failure that the US is, in 2020, with respect to science and administration today.
The administrators of the various science groups must have known, or should have known, for decades, that this site was in jeopardy, as no maintainance was being done. Where the hell were they ? What were they doing ? It's probably not "high tragedy" as there are far better telescopes, but at the minimum, they should have said years ago ... "we know this site has not been upgraded or maintained and will *fall* into ruin, but with scarce resources, we will allow that" .... OR they couod have said "We will keep the site as a record of human inquiry".... yeah they did neither, and it's all "wa-wa-wa" today. Pardon me, ... fuck them. And anyway, we all know James Bond wrecked it.
Test
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#15

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 08:34 PM)Bucky Ball Wrote: The thing is, this represents the failure that the US is, in 2020, with respect to science and administration today.
The administrators of the various science groups must have known, or should have known, for decades, that this site was in jeopardy, as no maintainance was being done. Where the hell were they ? What were they doing ? It's probably not "high tragedy" as there are far better telescopes, but at the minimum, they should have said years ago ... "we know this site has not been upgraded or maintained and will *fall* into ruin, but with scarce resources, we will allow that" .... OR they couod have said "We will keep the site as a record of human inquiry".... yeah they did neither, and it's all "wa-wa-wa" today. Pardon me, ... fuck them. And anyway, we all know James Bond wrecked it.

At a certain point, isn't it better to focus funding on newer, more capable resources than refitting/repairing older, less capable ones? You're right that this decline predates the Trump administration. But the Webb telescope is on track to be launched in less than a year. Which dollars provide better RoI?
On hiatus.
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#16

RIP Arecibo
Yeah, there is no point to keeping a clunker on the road.
Robert G. Ingersoll : “No man with a sense of humor ever founded a religion.”
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#17

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 08:34 PM)Bucky Ball Wrote: ... Where the hell were they?  What were they doing ... ?

We should acknowledge credit where it's due - Trump did throw a roll of paper towels at a crowd that might have included an Arecibo maintenance worker.
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#18

RIP Arecibo
Controlled demolition?  Gravity wins again.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/01/world/are...index.html

Quote:Arecibo Observatory collapses ahead of planned demolition

Quote: (CNN)The instrument platform of the 305-meter telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico collapsed overnight, according to the National Science Foundation.
It's a final blow to one of the most powerful telescopes on Earth that has aided astronomical discoveries for 57 years and withstood hurricanes, earthquakes and tropical storms.
The collapse occurred just weeks after NSF announced that the telescope would be decommissioned and disassembled through a controlled demolition after sustaining irreparable damage earlier this year.


At least it didn't hit anyone in the head.
Robert G. Ingersoll : “No man with a sense of humor ever founded a religion.”
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#19

RIP Arecibo
Wow, I didn't realize it was so far gone.
On hiatus.
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#20

RIP Arecibo
Sad

Sadcryface 

 Still. 60 isn't so bad an innings.

Would have been nicer to be able to keep it as even a museum. Lets admit it, big things inspire people.

Now, who's up for crowd funding Arecibo II and creating something some where that'll inspire people for even longer?   Thumbs Up 

Cheers.

Not at work.
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#21

RIP Arecibo
(11-20-2020, 07:05 AM)Chas Wrote:
(11-20-2020, 06:32 AM)Peebothuhlu Wrote: While it's sad to see a piece of science history fade away.

One can only hope the new found need to get to the Moon will give people ideas of what to find useful to build there.

I do think there was talk of a similar dish set up in a crater on the 'Dark side' of the Moon. The better to completly sheild such a dish from our incessant EM polutions.

One can only hope Elon has caught on with the notion.

Not at work.

There is no dark side. There is, however, a far side.

Yeah, the "dark side" is lit as much as the surface we see from Earth. I find too many people who don't understand that. Most people don't truly understand that we are spinning around about 1,000 miles per hour. My Dad, an engineer, never quite understood that. And never mind that the solar system is moving, the galaxy is moving, and the cluster is moving...
Never try to catch a dropped kitchen knife!
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