Arecibo radio telescope

This was the radio telescope shown at the beginning of one of my favorite SiFi movies, Carl Sagan's "Contact" (1997). What a terrific story and totally believable way that we might someday cone in contact with space aliens across the crazy far distances of the universe. If you haven't seen it, it has one of the coolest machines ever depicted in any movie IMO.

I read that Arecibo was going to be dimolished anyways so this collapse wasn't a big deal. Hope things improve   for PR in the future. The folks who live there are wonderful people.

It would be the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's IP address.  I'm 15 years years a couple counties removed from it.  

 I uninstalled it because I no longer left the PC running 24/7 once I had to start paying for electricity.

And hacked all your accounts....but it saves on the bodily probes.

Glamdring

 

the Baron

One of the more notable projects it was used for was SETI.

But it was more of a monument at this point.  As Don has pointed out, subsequent generation of radio telescopes are capable of much more than the stationary receiver was.  So it's the end of an era, but it doesn't really hamper radio astronomy. 

I used to have that background SETI program that would use the volunteers' PC to process data files from Arecibo.  I liked to think I was doing my part to advance humanity.   

Great.  When our alien overlords arrive, we'll find out they zeroed in on your IP address.

the Baron

One of the more notable projects it was used for was SETI.

But it was more of a monument at this point.  As Don has pointed out, subsequent generation of radio telescopes are capable of much more than the stationary receiver was.  So it's the end of an era, but it doesn't really hamper radio astronomy.

 

I used to have that background SETI program that would use the volunteers' PC to process data files from Arecibo.  I liked to think I was doing my part to advance humanity.  

One of the more notable projects it was used for was SETI.

But it was more of a monument at this point.  As Don has pointed out, subsequent generation of radio telescopes are capable of much more than the stationary receiver was.  So it's the end of an era, but it doesn't really hamper radio astronomy.

OMG. Well it looks like one of the type of progressive failures, sort of like a zipper or a row of nails.

Bill

Glamdring

It is surpising that a 24/7 web cam wasn't pointed at it after the first cable snapped, but there doesn't seem to be any videos of the moment of collapse...For now anyway.

There is a video now:

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37945/crazy-video-footage-shows-the-exact-moment-the-arecibo-radio-telescope-collapsed

Hi Don;

 Yes it is sad to see it go. It was certainly iconic in it's field. Besides being in movies it's been on T.V. as an "Amazing Build" Of course when it was built it certainly was amazing engineering! I don't expect, with all the cuts in scientific endeavors it will be re-built!

Sad to see it go.  But its progeny are capable of great things. It was a symbol, but so are the arrays in the southwest and others around the world.  Radio astronomy is now an established science.

Famous in the James Bond movie Golden Eye. 

Space Ranger

I hope it's rebuilt. It is responsible for some amazing discoveries.

 

It is surpising that a 24/7 web cam wasn't pointed at it after the first cable snapped, but there doesn't seem to be any videos of the moment of collapse...For now anyway.

From the science forums I was browsing, doesn't sound like it will be rebuilt.  The Arecibo budget had been cut for at least 15 years beforehand, so it is unlikely funds will be will be made available for a rebuild in Puerto Rico.  But, you never know these days.

China has a huge radio telescope and another in construction, and they said there are plans to construct new ones in Australia and South Africa as well.  I know very little about radio telescopes but there are quite a few installations around the world still going.

I hope it's rebuilt. It is responsible for some amazing discoveries.

Dang. Certainly sad deal