Arecibo collapse: Stellar contributions to astronomy, part of Puerto Rico culture, World loses giant telescope

Arecibo collapse: In a big blow to the international scientific community, especially for astronomy, Puerto Rico’s giant telescope Arecibo has collapsed. Apart from the scientific perspective, the unfortunate development has come as devastating for several people in Puerto Rico as the Arecibo telescope was an integral part of their culture.

The National Science Foundation of the US-owned the Arecibo telescope. The foundation has tweeted that the 305m telescope’s instrument platform in Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory has fallen. However, no injuries reported even as the NSF was monitoring the situation in collaboration with stakeholders. The NSF has asserted that its top priority was maintaining safety. More details will be issued by the NSF.

All you need to know about Arecibo telescope

Arecibo was first constructed in 1963. It had withstood several natural calamities. The telescope is the second-largest single-dish telescope in the entire world, as per the Indian Express report.

Earlier on November 19, the NSF had announced that it was planning to decommission the Arecibo after two cables broke and experts feared that the structure would collapse.

Arecibo contributed to planets and asteroids observation for several years.

In 1967, Arecibo helped find out that the planet Mercury rotates in 59 days. Earlier it was thought that the planet Mercury rotates in 88 days.

Through the Arecibo telescope, giant asteroids approaching the earth were observed. The telescope became a hub for searching for extraterrestrial life.

Scientists Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1993 for their work on the Arecibo telescope observatory.

The telescope featured in James Bond film ‘GoldenEye’ and ‘Contact’.

Around 90,000 tourists used to travel to Puerto Rico to visit the Arecibo telescope, the IE report says.