Collapsed Arecibo telescope to be replaced by education center. 'It's a huge loss' one scientist tells us
in an email that while he's not a radio astronomer, he considers the loss of Arecibo as a significant blow to the global astronomical research enterprise.
"And it’s not the first time: the original Green Bank Telescope at the NRAO facility in West VirginiaWhile the spectacular collapse of its instrument platform in December 2020 was dramatic, the telescope’s end was slow rolling over many years "This has to be balanced against their perceived scientific productivity; see, for example, the recent retirement of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy long before the end of its 20-year primary mission. Science budgets aren’t exactly rising by leaps and bounds, so difficult decisions have to be made."
"There are LIDAR facilities. There is a 12-meter telescope that is currently operating and doing really unique observations of the sun and following space weathering."Becker said while the Arecibo radio telescope was surpassed in size by China's FAST, it was still the most powerful radar system in the world for planetary science."I think it's a huge loss for all three areas of science," she said.
She also said that the notion of transitioning Arecibo to an educational center overlooks the role the facility had been playing to advance science education. Becker said she got her start back in 2008 through a planetary science program at Arecibo.
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