Page 1 of 1
Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 6:33 pm
by Dave
it looks as if old age and corrosion have caught up with Aricebo, and the structure has deteriorated to the point where there's no safe way to repair it.
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=301674
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:05 pm
by AnotherFairportfan
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:47 pm
by Dave
57. No wonder it has developed tendinitis and fallen arches.
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:48 pm
by Typeminer
It's a shame. That thing was amazing. They don't mention any plans to build a new one.
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 9:16 pm
by Dave
Typeminer wrote: ↑Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:48 pm
It's a shame. That thing was amazing. They don't mention any plans to build a new one.
I doubt that they will replace it with anything directly similar.
Technology and technique has moved on. These days, the preferred approach seems to be to build networks and arrays of smaller radio-telescopes, and use them to "synthesize" the equivalent of a single much larger dish. That's how they created those amazing images of the accretion disk around a black hole - the network of time-synchronized dishes and receivers gave them the same angular resolution as a single dish thousands of miles across.
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 9:26 pm
by AnotherFairportfan
Dave wrote: ↑Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:47 pm
57. No wonder it has developed tendinitis and fallen arches.
Well, it's younger than either of my younger brothers.
{Not by a LOT in Jim's case - he turned sixty-one earlier this year...}
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 11:26 pm
by Warrl
Dave wrote: ↑Thu Nov 19, 2020 9:16 pmThese days, the preferred approach seems to be to build networks and arrays of smaller radio-telescopes, and use them to "synthesize" the equivalent of a single much larger dish.
And I keep wondering if anyone's tried that systematically with *optical* telescopes.
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 11:47 pm
by Dave
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2020 8:10 am
by Typeminer
Dave wrote: ↑Thu Nov 19, 2020 9:16 pm
Typeminer wrote: ↑Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:48 pm
It's a shame. That thing was amazing. They don't mention any plans to build a new one.
I doubt that they will replace it with anything directly similar.
Technology and technique has moved on. These days, the preferred approach seems to be to build networks and arrays of smaller radio-telescopes, and use them to "synthesize" the equivalent of a single much larger dish. That's how they created those amazing images of the accretion disk around a black hole - the network of time-synchronized dishes and receivers gave them the same angular resolution as a single dish thousands of miles across.
That's a good point. Believe I also read somewhere in the past few months that the U.S. is de facto abandoning its traditional lead in big-investment astronomy.
Re: Aricebo radio observatory to be decommisioned
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:09 am
by TazManiac
Jodie Foster!, Where are you when we need you!?