Gut-wrenching pictures and videos document the beginning of the end for one of the world’s most iconic telescopes.
Known for its study of asteroids and aliens and for its cameo in the James Bond film, the Arecibo Observatory of the National Science Foundation in Puerto Rico collapsed this morning (December 1). The Time00 tonne platform on which the radio dish was hung fell below structure 50 feet (1 meter0 m) at 8 a.m. local time, causing extensive damage to the damage line documentation.
Pictures of the devastation are tragic, although the situation was no surprise after the National Science Foundation announced days ago that the observatory would need to be dismissed following hurricanes and cable damage to the famous observatory.
Related: Are Recibo Observatory radio telescope collapses in Puerto Rico
“We heard a noise, a loud noise outside the control room. We began to see the end of the observatory’s collapse,” said Angel Vazquez, chief of the Terascope of Persecution for four decades and an activist at Arecibo. In a video posted on Twitter.
Pointing to a large poster-picture of the cables holding Aresibo’s platform, Vazquez said that last week workers at the observatory saw strands coming from the other three cables holding the platform to one side. He said Ser is convinced that there are signs of more stress on the cable, with less of the weight of the platform.
“After all, it just gave way,” he said. The cables on the other side of the platform were still under stress, he added, so the platform did not fall suddenly, but it took about 30 seconds for the radio dish to glide.
Related: Losing the Arecibo Observatory creates a science hole that cannot be filled
Angel Vazquez explains the fall of Arecibo Observatory @ Save Theo. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/7VCZNCFsA4December 1, 2020
Drone footage taken after the crash shows crushed cable towers lying on top of the dish, with tower fragments and other debris scattered around the area. Numerous pictures posted by photographer Ricardo Erdoન્o Ric f France-Press on Getty Images show that the force of the fall split the radio dish elements in the middle.
“Engineers are on-site. Top priorities are maintaining safety on site and assessing damage,” NSF said. Said on TwitterSimultaneously, with a closeup of the damage showing decay in the radio telescope.
“We knew this was a possibility, but it’s still heartbreaking to see,” Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for research at UCF, said in a statement to the NSF. “Employee safety is our first priority. We already have engineers on site to assess the damage and determine the stability and safety of the rest of the structure. We will continue to work with the NSF and other stakeholders to find ways to support science. Mission at Arecibo.” “
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