John Grusd PhotographyAdios Arecibo
One of the wonders of my world, this is (was) the instrument platform of the great Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico. This working part of the telescope was suspended over a huge dish that filled a small valley below. You can see two technicians/scientists on their way in the gondola to do some work up there. The telescope had been on the forefront of many scientific discoveries for almost 60 years and it was the thrill of a lifetime to see it in person!
On December 1, 2020, support cables snapped and this suspended part of the telescope came crashing down into the 1000 foot diameter dish. A couple of previous structural failures had led the US National Science Foundation to stop access to the facility pending a decision on whether to try to fix it or shut it down completely. As a result, no one was injured when the final collapse happened.
Adios Arecibo.
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