Posted on Dec 9, 2020
APOD: 2020 December 9 - Arecibo Telescope Collapse
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Good morning, Rallypoint. Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is titled "Arecibo Telescope Collapse." The soon-to-be decommissioned radio telescope at Arecibo, Puerto Rico collapsed on December 1, 2020. effectively destroying the facility. You probably saw or read a story about this in the news. What was lacking in those stories? I'll fill you in on a couple of interesting tidbits.
First, what is a radio telescope? A radio telescope is an antenna and radio receiver used to detect radio waves from astronomical radio sources in the sky. Radio telescopes are the main observing instrument used in radio astronomy, which studies the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by astronomical objects (just like optical telescopes study visible light). The first purpose-built radio telescope was a 9-meter parabolic dish constructed in Wheaton, Illinois in 1937. The sky survey performed by this telescope is often considered the beginning of the field of radio astronomy.
Second, why did we build Arecibo in the first place? Cornell University first proposed its construction to the Department of Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA, now known as DARPA) in the 1950s. A desire to better understand the composition of the ionosphere and how it might impact objects passing through, including ballistic missile reentry vehicles carrying nuclear warheads, was a key reason for its construction. While in operation, it was likely a source of indirect signals intelligence collection. How so? Radar waves bouncing off the surface of the Moon could be tracked back to their terrestrial source on Earth.
An even larger radio telescope (500 meters, Arecibo was 305 meters) was placed in operation in 2016. Guess where (wait for it)? Yup. China.
First, what is a radio telescope? A radio telescope is an antenna and radio receiver used to detect radio waves from astronomical radio sources in the sky. Radio telescopes are the main observing instrument used in radio astronomy, which studies the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by astronomical objects (just like optical telescopes study visible light). The first purpose-built radio telescope was a 9-meter parabolic dish constructed in Wheaton, Illinois in 1937. The sky survey performed by this telescope is often considered the beginning of the field of radio astronomy.
Second, why did we build Arecibo in the first place? Cornell University first proposed its construction to the Department of Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA, now known as DARPA) in the 1950s. A desire to better understand the composition of the ionosphere and how it might impact objects passing through, including ballistic missile reentry vehicles carrying nuclear warheads, was a key reason for its construction. While in operation, it was likely a source of indirect signals intelligence collection. How so? Radar waves bouncing off the surface of the Moon could be tracked back to their terrestrial source on Earth.
An even larger radio telescope (500 meters, Arecibo was 305 meters) was placed in operation in 2016. Guess where (wait for it)? Yup. China.
APOD: 2020 December 9 - Arecibo Telescope Collapse
Posted from apod.nasa.gov
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Santana - Let The Children Play
Let The Children Play by Santana (Track 3, Disc 1, from "Moonflower" - 1977)
Thank you my friend Maj William W. 'Bill' Price for posting another installment of the collapse of the Arecibo Telescope for the NASA Astronomy Video of the Day (APOD) is titled "Arecibo Telescope Collapse."
That telescope endured for over 50 years after being completed in November 1963.
There is no requirement or even capability to build a suitable upgrade at Arecibo. China's Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) is the largest and last remaining giant, single-dish telescope.
Background summary from [cds.cern.ch/record/918193/files/0512499.pdf]
IAU Symposium 232 allows a snapshot of ELTs at a stage when design work in several critical mass projects has been seriously underway for two to three years. The status and some of the main initial design choices are reviewed for the North American Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) projects and the European Euro50 and the Overwhelmingly Large (OWL) projects.
A. The GMT consortium is composed of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Arizona, University of Michigan, Smithsonian Institution, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.
B. The Euro 50 project, growing out of Lund Observatory in Sweden, collaborating with Galway, IAC in Spain, Turku, NPL and UCL in the UK, deserves special note. It is the proto-type effort which started serious thinking about ELTs in the early 1990’s and with the addition of a credible AO system helped convince the large telescope community that ELTs were feasible and affordable telescopes.
C. The Overwhelmingly Large Telescope Project
The OWL project entered this meeting with a 100m design concept. Toward the end of the meeting Guy Monnet announced on behalf of ESO that the OWL project intended to concentrate on a revised design in the 40-60m range, with his personal inclination favouring a low-40m aperture target. The ability to make decisions of this magnitude is one of the hallmarks of a successful project office. Moreover it now appears that the community at large has agreed that the 100m scale telescope will be left for the future.
Video: Arecibo Telescope Collapse - Video Credit: Arecibo Observatory, NSF
Image:
1. NAIC Arecibo Observatory -NSF, Ricardo Arduengo - before and after collapse [December 1, 2020] images
2. Juxtaposed screen grabs from a video taken by the Arecibo Observatory show the telescope's platform as it fell. Courtesy of the Arecibo Observatory, a US National Science Foundation facility
3. The Arecibo Observatory in 2012. The Gregorian Dome hangs over the 1,000-foot reflector dish.
Santana - Let The Children Play - from "Moonflower" - 1977
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzxKB7kBP70
FYI Maj Robert Thornton Lt Col Charlie Brown COL Mikel J. Burroughs Sgt (Join to see) PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SGT Denny Espinosa Sgt Vance Bonds MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. TSgt David L. SPC Nancy GreenePO2 (Join to see) SSG Michael Noll SPC Margaret Higgins Maj Marty Hogan SMSgt David A Asbury SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
That telescope endured for over 50 years after being completed in November 1963.
There is no requirement or even capability to build a suitable upgrade at Arecibo. China's Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) is the largest and last remaining giant, single-dish telescope.
Background summary from [cds.cern.ch/record/918193/files/0512499.pdf]
IAU Symposium 232 allows a snapshot of ELTs at a stage when design work in several critical mass projects has been seriously underway for two to three years. The status and some of the main initial design choices are reviewed for the North American Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) projects and the European Euro50 and the Overwhelmingly Large (OWL) projects.
A. The GMT consortium is composed of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Arizona, University of Michigan, Smithsonian Institution, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.
B. The Euro 50 project, growing out of Lund Observatory in Sweden, collaborating with Galway, IAC in Spain, Turku, NPL and UCL in the UK, deserves special note. It is the proto-type effort which started serious thinking about ELTs in the early 1990’s and with the addition of a credible AO system helped convince the large telescope community that ELTs were feasible and affordable telescopes.
C. The Overwhelmingly Large Telescope Project
The OWL project entered this meeting with a 100m design concept. Toward the end of the meeting Guy Monnet announced on behalf of ESO that the OWL project intended to concentrate on a revised design in the 40-60m range, with his personal inclination favouring a low-40m aperture target. The ability to make decisions of this magnitude is one of the hallmarks of a successful project office. Moreover it now appears that the community at large has agreed that the 100m scale telescope will be left for the future.
Video: Arecibo Telescope Collapse - Video Credit: Arecibo Observatory, NSF
Image:
1. NAIC Arecibo Observatory -NSF, Ricardo Arduengo - before and after collapse [December 1, 2020] images
2. Juxtaposed screen grabs from a video taken by the Arecibo Observatory show the telescope's platform as it fell. Courtesy of the Arecibo Observatory, a US National Science Foundation facility
3. The Arecibo Observatory in 2012. The Gregorian Dome hangs over the 1,000-foot reflector dish.
Santana - Let The Children Play - from "Moonflower" - 1977
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzxKB7kBP70
FYI Maj Robert Thornton Lt Col Charlie Brown COL Mikel J. Burroughs Sgt (Join to see) PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SGT Denny Espinosa Sgt Vance Bonds MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. TSgt David L. SPC Nancy GreenePO2 (Join to see) SSG Michael Noll SPC Margaret Higgins Maj Marty Hogan SMSgt David A Asbury SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
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LTC Stephen F.
http://www.lastfm.com.br/user/rogerjazzfan5th track from Carlos Santana's "Caravanserai" album, 1972. * Carlos Santana : lead guitar (02,03,04,08,09), gu...
SANTANA, Song Of The Wind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdmevPWZTRg
FYI SSG Franklin BriantSgt John H. CW5 Jack Cardwell SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SGT (Join to see)SSG Jeffrey LeakeSPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SPC Matthew Lamb CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana SSG Samuel Kermon LTC Wayne Brandon Maj Kim Patterson Sgt (Join to see) SSG Samuel KermonMSgt Paul Connors SPC Margaret Higgins SPC Nancy Greene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdmevPWZTRg
FYI SSG Franklin BriantSgt John H. CW5 Jack Cardwell SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SGT (Join to see)SSG Jeffrey LeakeSPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SPC Matthew Lamb CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana SSG Samuel Kermon LTC Wayne Brandon Maj Kim Patterson Sgt (Join to see) SSG Samuel KermonMSgt Paul Connors SPC Margaret Higgins SPC Nancy Greene
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Good morning Sir. Are there plans to replace this radio telescope with a new one?
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Maj William W. 'Bill' Price
Good morning PO2 (Join to see). I'm not aware of any. But we aren't completely blind in this area. See: https://public.nrao.edu/
National Radio Astronomy Observatory - National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Welcome to the home of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory online.
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SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D
It appears that faulty cable engineering may have been at the root of the collapse. An installation
in mainland USA would be great unless the geographic location mandates its' location elsewhere for astrological reasons.
in mainland USA would be great unless the geographic location mandates its' location elsewhere for astrological reasons.
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LTC Stephen F.
PO2 (Join to see) there have been plans to build more capable radio telescopes for a over 20 years. I posted a summary and link in my response. FYI Maj William W. 'Bill' Price
" North American Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) projects and the European Euro50 and the Overwhelmingly Large (OWL) projects."
" North American Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) projects and the European Euro50 and the Overwhelmingly Large (OWL) projects."
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