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    The Arecibo Observatory collapsed today

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    • MasterMario
      MasterMario last edited by MasterMario

      A cable holding the 900 ton platform 400 feet above the dish broke back on August 6th. It's been closed since then as they determined how to fix it.

      On November 6th another cable broke. Making the situation much more perilous.

      Today the remaining cables couldn't hold the platform anymore and it finally broke free and fell into the dish.

      EoJnDYmXIAA4UqG.jpg

      https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arecibo-observatory-radio-telescope-puerto-rico-collapses/

      This was the world's largest radio telescope and has been used for countless scientific experiments and observations.

      Unfortunately I don't see the US funding a repair/replacement and this probably means this radio telescope is done for permanently.

      Edit: Adding a note that aremmes pointed out. After the second cable broke the NSF decided to close the observatory. So it was to be decommissioned and disassembled anyways, but this is a sad way to see it go.

      davesaddiction ttyymmnn Chariotoflove 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 4
      • Adabofoppo- Has Gone Plaid
        Adabofoppo- Has Gone Plaid last edited by

        For England, James?

        Chariotoflove 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 14
        • aremmes
          aremmes last edited by

          The NSF had already decided that they'd decommission it. Given their lack of funding, which could've paid for preventative suspension cable replacements, they seemingly decided that a long time ago.

          https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/11/famed-arecibo-observatory-to-be-decommissioned-in-wake-of-cable-breaks/

          "I drank what?" -- Socrates

          MasterMario 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
          • phenotyp
            phenotyp last edited by

            If an observatory falls in the forest...

            aremmes 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
            • aremmes
              aremmes @phenotyp last edited by

              @phenotyp

              It's fairly densely populated as far as forests go, so...

              "I drank what?" -- Socrates

              ClassicDatsunDebate 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Jawzx2
                Jawzx2 last edited by Jawzx2

                thats a shame... but phased-array systems and dish-binning are, scientifically speaking, a better investment 😞 It was an icon though, nothing else like it.

                I like big boost and I cannot lie.
                But mostly I drive tractors.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                • MasterMario
                  MasterMario @aremmes last edited by MasterMario

                  @aremmes Yea, they decided that after the second cable broke in early November. Seems it wasn't a lack of preventative maintenance that the first cable failed though.

                  I've read multiple places that the early conclusions are that a manufacturing defect caused the first cable to break.

                  But, the second cable may have been prevented with more preventative maintenance as they seem to be indicating that it failed due to degradation over time and the extra load added after the first cable failed.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                  • davesaddiction
                    davesaddiction @MasterMario last edited by

                    @mastermario Very sad day...

                    manual . RWD . LS3 . MagneRide . Brembos ... 4 doors + 5 seatbelts

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • MisterButtercup
                      MisterButtercup last edited by

                      That's disappointing. Almost seems like the world is slowly falling into the post-apocalyptic state of no more research for grand endeavors, but "do what I can to stay alive, regardless of the long term costs." Granted, we are living in a pandemic, but still, would be nice to continue research.
                      Then again, I might just be pessimistic about it all.

                      Meandering Road
                      Dreams of shifting sweet and smooth
                      Peacefully I drive

                      Jawzx2 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • Jawzx2
                        Jawzx2 @MisterButtercup last edited by Jawzx2

                        @misterbuttercup said in The Arecibo Observatory collapsed today:

                        That's disappointing. Almost seems like the world is slowly falling into the post-apocalyptic state of no more research for grand endeavors..

                        You're not wrong in the broad sense... at least in the USA for sure. It's also true that giant single-point dishes like Arecibo are terribly expensive, and modern digital processes allow phased-arrays of multiple smaller dishes to work as well or better in the long term, with lower upfront and maintenance costs.

                        I like big boost and I cannot lie.
                        But mostly I drive tractors.

                        MasterMario 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                        • ttyymmnn
                          ttyymmnn @MasterMario last edited by

                          @mastermario RIP planet killer.

                          #Planelopnik all the things

                          Yamaha YTR-8335
                          Yamaha YTR-8445
                          Schilke P5-4

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • MasterMario
                            MasterMario @Jawzx2 last edited by

                            @jawzx2 The one thing I don't think can be replaced though is that the Arecibo dish was also the world's largest radar, meaning it could send signals in addition to receiving them.

                            I don't know enough though to say whether that will be a huge loss to the scientific community.

                            Jawzx2 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • aremmes
                              aremmes last edited by

                              According to local news, besides the sinkhole over which it was built there's an underground river that runs under the dish, and the suspended platform fell directly into it. The platform also carried 46,000 lbs of lead ballast. That'll make cleanup a right proper chore.

                              https://www.elnuevodia.com/ciencia-ambiente/espacio-astronomia/notas/colapsa-el-historico-radiotelescopio-de-arecibo-tras-varios-meses-en-deterioro-por-fallas-de-cables/

                              "I drank what?" -- Socrates

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • ClassicDatsunDebate
                                ClassicDatsunDebate @aremmes last edited by

                                @aremmes off topic but will we be seeing a return of your avatar here on the hyphen??

                                aremmes 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • Jawzx2
                                  Jawzx2 @MasterMario last edited by

                                  @mastermario said in The Arecibo Observatory collapsed today:

                                  @jawzx2 The one thing I don't think can be replaced though is that the Arecibo dish was also the world's largest radar, meaning it could send signals in addition to receiving them.

                                  I don't know enough though to say whether that will be a huge loss to the scientific community.

                                  Phased arrays can do that too, though the computational needs of the process are MUCH higher and there is greater chance for error due to timing/aiming/compensation calculations. A single point dish does have advantages... Too bad our governments don't seem to think that particular type of research deserves enough funding to make more like it.

                                  I like big boost and I cannot lie.
                                  But mostly I drive tractors.

                                  aremmes MasterMario 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • aremmes
                                    aremmes @ClassicDatsunDebate last edited by

                                    @ClassicDatsunDebate

                                    As soon as Ha-Ha Guy returns from holiday.

                                    "I drank what?" -- Socrates

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • aremmes
                                      aremmes @Jawzx2 last edited by

                                      @jawzx2 said in The Arecibo Observatory collapsed today:

                                      @mastermario said in The Arecibo Observatory collapsed today:

                                      @jawzx2 The one thing I don't think can be replaced though is that the Arecibo dish was also the world's largest radar, meaning it could send signals in addition to receiving them.

                                      I don't know enough though to say whether that will be a huge loss to the scientific community.

                                      Phased arrays can do that too, though the computational needs of the process are MUCH higher and there is greater chance for error due to timing/aiming/compensation calculations. A single point dish does have advantages... Too bad our governments don't seem to think that particular type of research deserves enough funding to make more like it.

                                      It should be noted also that limited steering capability, so it could only observe a point in the sky by radar for up to about two and a half hours per day. An array of steerable dishes can remain aimed at the same point for much longer, though obviously with the phase changes induced by the Earth's rotation.

                                      "I drank what?" -- Socrates

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                      • MasterMario
                                        MasterMario @Jawzx2 last edited by

                                        @jawzx2 said in The Arecibo Observatory collapsed today:

                                        Too bad our governments don't seem to think that particular type of research deserves enough funding to make more like it.

                                        They didn't value the research to begin with when they built this. The Arecibo Observatory only got the green light due to the military's interest in being able to detect ICBMs. Which is why it is a radar in the first place.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                        • Chariotoflove
                                          Chariotoflove @Adabofoppo- Has Gone Plaid last edited by

                                          @adabofoppo said in The Arecibo Observatory collapsed today:

                                          For England, James?

                                          My first thought too. Well done.

                                          Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                          • Chariotoflove
                                            Chariotoflove @MasterMario last edited by

                                            @mastermario This makes me sad. But physics did give them lots of time to avert the disaster.

                                            Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                            • RallyDarkstrike
                                              RallyDarkstrike last edited by

                                              Such a huge shame....so many important scientific discoveries.... 😞

                                              '09 Hyundai Accent | Loves 2-cyl FIATs, old Euro, Eastern Bloc & kei cars!

                                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                              • fintail
                                                fintail last edited by

                                                Crap now how will we discover aliens?

                                                MasterMario 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                                • MM54
                                                  MM54 last edited by

                                                  That's a bummer. I know they planned to dismantle it but it's still sad to see it collapse. If nothing else, this does alleviate them trying to figure out how to get the platform down safely - after all, reports for the last couple weeks have said that it could fall at any time - and they were right.

                                                  Craigslist will push me, and I'll say no; read my lips: no new projects.

                                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                                  • MasterMario
                                                    MasterMario @fintail last edited by

                                                    @fintail The old fashioned way, when they abduct you.

                                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                                    • ranwhenparked
                                                      ranwhenparked last edited by

                                                      Well, it was definitely a good decision not to go forward with trying to replace the first broken cable after the second one snapped, this certainly confirms that it was indeed far too dangerous to repair with two cables gone.

                                                      Wonder if that replacement cable had already been fabricated or not, and if so, if they can get their money back?

                                                      2022 Ioniq SE
                                                      1964 Corvair Monza

                                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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