Posted on 09/21/2017 3:15:08 PM PDT by BenLurkin
While the facility has been closed all week for the hurricane, a handful of staff members had remained inside the observatory, waiting for the storm to pass.
"Most cell towers and all landlines are down," Aya Collins, a spokeswoman for the National Science Foundation (NSF), told Space.com in an email. With no power, phones or internet, the people of Puerto Rico have very limited means of communication with the outside world. "We haven't received any official communications from the Arecibo Observatory," Collins said.
...
USRA update noted that "one observatory staff member located in the town of Arecibo contacted via short-wave radio reports that trees are down, power is out, houses damaged and roads impassable."
...
Despite the long wait, the staff at the Arecibo Observatory should be able to manage until help arrives. "They have fuel to run the generators, a well for water, and enough food for week," Collins said.
And even though the roads are flooded across Puerto Rico, the giant radio telescope at Arecibo should be relatively dry. It is located more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) above sea level, and the dish does not accumulate rainwater because it is made out of a mesh-like material, Collins said. And just in case waters rise, Collins said "there is a sump-pump under the dish with its own diesel generator."
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
I used this site to watch Irma, and now I’m OBSESSED with Maria. Totally amazing. And I will always live well inland, and I will never live on a Tropical Island. ;)
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-77.47,26.06,1923
That is very cool.
You will never be without it, ever. again. ;)
You would think it would go sailing off into space after the wind picked it up.... : )
Bookmarked
Just when the aliens are trying to get ahold of us, stupid global climate change wrecked the radiotelescope.
Civilization is spared its destruction.
Gonna be tough missing those regular broadcasts from Uranus.
I guess there’s a silver lining to all this - the observatory won’t be able to see the comet that’s supposed to wipe us off the earth in two days - ah, blissful ignorance
Wait: Is Jennifer Lawrence putting photos of her butt hole on the internet again?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.