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Profile Gary Charpentier Crowdfunding Project Donor*Special Project $75 donorSpecial Project $250 donor
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Message 2055147 - Posted: 12 Aug 2020, 6:34:26 UTC

https://apnews.com/668bb0219afcc086376c9d56685ab9d0
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A broken cable caused severe damage at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory, causing a suspension of operations for one of the world’s largest single-dish radio telescopes, officials said Tuesday.

The University of Central Florida, which manages the National Science Foundation facility, said in a statement that a cable that helps support a metal platform broke and caused a 100-foot (30-meter) gash on a reflector dish. The university said eight panels in the dome also were damaged and the platform used to access the dome is now twisted.

The statement said it was unclear why the cable broke. The cost of the damage wasn’t immediately known.

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Message 2055170 - Posted: 12 Aug 2020, 14:15:17 UTC - in response to Message 2055147.  

Oh dear... That sounds very disruptive and expensive...

Were there insufficient repairs or additional unknown damage from the last big hurricane that hit them?


Here's hoping there is some magic for a full repair!

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Martin
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Message 2055249 - Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 18:41:58 UTC
Last modified: 13 Aug 2020, 18:42:09 UTC

Further detail from Scott Manley:

YouTube: Snapped Cable Damages Arecibo Observatory Radio Telescope
wrote:
... On Monday night a support cable snapped and fell into the reflector dish, damaging the reflector panels, it also crashed into the side of the gregorian dome which includes the secondard and tertiary reflectors.



Here's hoping this is a wake-up to gain proper funding for full repairs and continued operation!

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Message 2061024 - Posted: 9 Nov 2020, 18:30:46 UTC

Another cable has snapped at the Arecibo Observatory, damaging the dish further.
https://astronomynow.com/2020/11/08/aericibo-radio-telescope-suffers-additional-damage-from-second-cable-failure/
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Message 2061091 - Posted: 10 Nov 2020, 17:14:03 UTC - in response to Message 2061024.  

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Message 2061093 - Posted: 10 Nov 2020, 18:06:59 UTC - in response to Message 2061091.  

Another cable has snapped at the Arecibo Observatory, damaging the dish further.
https://astronomynow.com/2020/11/08/aericibo-radio-telescope-suffers-additional-damage-from-second-cable-failure/

More information here https://www.ucf.edu/news/a-second-cable-fails-at-nsfs-arecibo-observatory-in-puerto-rico/

Here's hoping they can catch up with the repairs before any further damage!


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Message 2061096 - Posted: 10 Nov 2020, 18:14:40 UTC

Let's hope they do a thorough inspection of all the other cables as I'd hate to see them replace the two broken ones, take up the strain and have another couple fail.
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Message 2061773 - Posted: 19 Nov 2020, 20:04:31 UTC

The NYTimes says that Arecibo is beyond repairs and will be shut down. But its data will remain.
Tullio
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Message 2061783 - Posted: 19 Nov 2020, 21:17:56 UTC - in response to Message 2061773.  
Last modified: 19 Nov 2020, 21:18:33 UTC

The NYTimes says that Arecibo is beyond repairs and will be shut down. But its data will remain.
Tullio

This is newly being discussed over in the Cafe... See: Message 2061782


Very sad indeed!

Do we have anything to replace it? Or any comparable capability?


Keeo searchin',
Martin
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Message 2061786 - Posted: 19 Nov 2020, 21:39:07 UTC

Parkes, GBT, Lovell to start with and they are all steerable, which Arecibo wasn't so in one sense exceed Arecibo's capabilities even if they are a bit less sensitive.

For fixed telescopes there's the FAST in China, which is slightly bigger and thus probably a little bit more sensative

For arrays there's the SKA, e-Merlin and another one I can't think of its name (Keith where are you?), these should all be much more sensitive, but getting time on them will be difficult for targetted observations, but for general surveys they should be just as good, and depending on their viewing horizon should cover new parts of the sky

That said Arecibo was the first, and for many years the only source used by SETI@Home.
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Message 2061792 - Posted: 19 Nov 2020, 22:35:22 UTC

Now we know its dead Jim. We also know the last W/U of collected data was sent out. Nothing more to come. Other researchers will have to design a new search using new telescopes.
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Message 2061793 - Posted: 19 Nov 2020, 22:54:19 UTC

Farewell Arecibo... 57 years of science and memories...

https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/19/21575025/arecibo-observatory-puerto-rico-decommission-structural-collapse-cable-break
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Message 2061797 - Posted: 19 Nov 2020, 23:20:54 UTC

VLBA (Very Large Baseline Array) New Mexico.
Canberra Deep Space
What will be most missed from Arecibo is its use as a radar transmitter probably excluding its sensitivity features.
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Message 2061801 - Posted: 20 Nov 2020, 0:05:07 UTC

I saw the news about Arecibo earlier today. I'm glad I got a chance to go out on the platform in 2005. It was (still is for now) an incredible place. what will replace it, if anything?
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Message 2061827 - Posted: 20 Nov 2020, 10:55:22 UTC

There is ALMA in Chile, although at different wavelengths, and Sardinia in Sardegna with a 70 meters dish with smart focusing. Also Effelsberg in Germany with a 100 meters dish. But I think they are not interested in SETI.
Tullio
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Message 2061920 - Posted: 21 Nov 2020, 13:52:45 UTC

Just read this morning the Arecibo Radiotelescope is to be demolished.
A cable failed in Aug, another in November, causing structural damage.
Sad ...
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Message 2061943 - Posted: 21 Nov 2020, 18:04:53 UTC

Some background to the exact nature of the failure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEe4Wlc5Vp0&feature=push-u-sub&attr_tag=9GvbKIGEq7Fgauud%3A6
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Message 2062019 - Posted: 23 Nov 2020, 1:45:43 UTC

Basically what the title says, just struck me as oddly fitting to see that announcement that Arecibo will be torn down now, the same year that SETI@home got shut down (er, mothballed, if you must).

Actually came here yesterday looking for the thread I expected to find about it, but found none. Surprised at that.
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Message 2062022 - Posted: 23 Nov 2020, 2:08:52 UTC

Doesn't Einstein@Home ALSO use Arecibo???
(Or, at least I thought they did at one time....)


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Message 2062083 - Posted: 23 Nov 2020, 20:36:53 UTC - in response to Message 2062022.  

Doesn't Einstein@Home ALSO use Arecibo???
(Or, at least I thought they did at one time....)

IIRC: Yes, for their pulsars search.

They may even have used the data from the s@h data recorder!


Keep searchin'!
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