A huge radio telescope in Puerto Rico has collapsed after decades of astronomical discoveries.
The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico was one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. It features prominently in the last part of the 1995 movie GoldenEye.
At that that time the crash was fiction, but fiction became in some way reality 25 years later!
Puerto Rico: Iconic Arecibo Observatory telescope collapses
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55147973
The US National Science Foundation (NSF) said the telescope’s 900-ton instrument platform fell onto a reflector dish some 450ft (137m) below.
5 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.npr.org/2020/12/01/940767001/arecibo-observatory-telescope-collapses-ending-an-era-of-world-class-research
Tomi Engdahl says:
BREAKING: New drone footage shows the moment Arecibo finally collapsed.
https://www.iflscience.com/space/drone-footage-shows-the-moment-the-iconic-arecibo-observatory-finally-collapsed/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arecibo-observatory-collapse-video/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arecibo’s Program Director called it an unexpected, “violent” event
NSF offers a closer look at how the Arecibo Observatory collapsed
Arecibo’s Program Director called it an unexpected, “violent” event.
https://www.engadget.com/arecibo-observatory-collapse-video-details-nsf-172859619.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
What Really Happened at the Arecibo Telescope?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oBCtTv6yOw
On the morning of December 1st, 2020, one of the most iconic astronomical instruments in the world collapsed. The Arecibo Telescope was not only one of the largest radio telescopes in the world, it was also a fascinating problem in structural engineering. Its loss was felt across the world. This video provides a quick lesson on radio telescopes, a summary of the failure, and some discussion about the engineering lessons learned in the wake of the event. I hope that eventually, they can replace the telescope with an instrument as futuristic and forward-looking as the Arecibo telescope was when first conceived. It was an ambitious and inspiring structure, and we sure will miss it.