Requests for future continued operation of the Arecibo Observatory

AgentB
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Topic 198295

NSF Dear Colleague Letter

Quote:
The purpose of this DCL is to request viable concepts for the future of the Arecibo Observatory,
specifically including strategies and goals for continued operations that involve a substantially reduced funding commitment from NSF.

Sad that such a mighty telescope, with no real equal has to find it's own funding it seems. The recent asteroid, the best images (as usual) come from Arecibo Radar

Bikeman (Heinz-Bernd Eggenstein)
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Requests for future continued operation of the Arecibo Observat

Quote:

Sad that such a mighty telescope, with no real equal has to find it's own funding it seems. The recent asteroid, the best images (as usual) come from Arecibo Radar

And it's not just Arecibo that has experienced funding troubles. Green Bank Telescope had quite a bit of trouble as well, but recently there were some good news because of a planned investment to use it for SETI.

https://public.nrao.edu/news/pressreleases/gbt-breakthrough-listen
With more background info:
http://www.alleghenymountainradio.org/nraos-green-bank-telescope-receives-new-funding/

Still sad.

Bikeman (Heinz-Bernd Eggenstein)
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More news on Arecibo (just

More news on Arecibo (just reporting the news, not taking sides here):

http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2015/nov/16/arecibo-observatory-faces-uncertain-future-as-boss-quits

tbret
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RE: More news on Arecibo

Quote:

More news on Arecibo (just reporting the news, not taking sides here):

I'm happy to take sides.

Remember they were going to de-orbit Hubble, but scientists are still having trouble getting time on it?

If we can print money and spend it on the most ill-conceived of projects, why we can't print money and pay for a couple of big radio telescopes that people fight to get time to use?

Idiocy.

We're all doomed.

tullio
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There is an Editorial on this

There is an Editorial on this subject on the November 17 issue of Nature Physics. I made a comment to it which was published. Read it.
Tullio

tbret
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RE: There is an Editorial

Quote:
There is an Editorial on this subject on the November 17 issue of Nature Physics. I made a comment to it which was published. Read it.
Tullio

I would if I could find it. I've looked. I can't.

Zalster
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I think this might be the

I think this might be the article but there is no comment section...

http://www.nature.com/nphys/journal/v10/n11/full/nphys3160.html

AgentB
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Tullio's comments are in this

Tullio's comments are in this article Radio interference

I may join in tomorrow with some comments.

Gary Roberts
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There's also a more recent

There's also a more recent comment from Mike Hewson.

Cheers,
Gary.

tbret
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Having read the comments and

Having read the comments and I can only comment that the comments are very reasonable and measured.

Bravo.

You've succinctly made all the very valuable points.

$12,000,000/year to "operate" a radio telescope that's already built and paid-for?

It doesn't matter.

What matters is that we have no replacement.

But then, who needs my opinion?

Apparently, nobody.

Gary Roberts
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RE: ... But then, who needs

Quote:
... But then, who needs my opinion?


I always read what you say :-).

These sorts of decisions will always happen if ordinary people do nothing and say nothing.

It's always the right thing to do to express a rational and well thought out opinion about something that's important to you. Like-minded people may join in and some good may come of it.

Cheers,
Gary.

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