that time I got to see the Arecibo telescope

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I suck at mornings, especially when I’m on a (working) vacation.

But getting up at oh-my-god-it’s-still-dark-out-why-am-I-awake o’clock to go see the Arecibo telescope with my own eyes (and two busloads of nerds) was totally worth it.

The thing about this is that it’s so huge, it sort of distorts the scale of itself and creates the illusion of not being a thousand feet across. But it’s a thousand feet across.

While we were there, I got to watch the detector move, which made me way more excited than I thought it would. Unfortunately, we didn’t discover any aliens or distant galaxies while we were there.

But look at that picture, and just think about this incredible thing that humans built in 1962, existing, harmoniously, next to all that natural beauty. In fact, it doesn’t just sit there beside the natural beauty, it is able to exist precisely because of the conditions created by that natural beauty. I think that’s really neat.

Sometimes we humans don’t suck.

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21 thoughts on “that time I got to see the Arecibo telescope”

Sounds like a cool visit, thanks for sharing!

I think we had 6 busloads of nerds actually (pushes glasses up nose). A veritable herd of nerd.

Wil says:

14 February, 2015 at 10:40 am

Excellent use of “actually”!

That is very cool

Speaking of harmony with nature, I like the fact that the dish isn’t a solid surface. It’s not readily apparent in most photographs, but the perforated surface is more air than metal. (The openings are smaller than the wavelengths that the telescope operates at, so the surface ‘appears’ solid to those incoming radio waves.)

Most of the area under the dish is carpeted with greenery.

So still no contact to the Traveler?

Happy V day to you and you’rs 🙂

Did you push Sean Bean off it though

Goldeneye!

You forgot to mention the helpful, self proclaimed celebrity, tour guide – the dashing Hectorrrrr <3

Wil says:

15 February, 2015 at 9:58 am

the dashing Hectorrrrr

10/10 will tour again.

Part of my bucket list to see this great instrument of science.

I envy you. Such an amazing creation of human dreams.

I gather they rent time to other science projects including SETI (remember SETI?) It is so incredibly amazing.

That’s an amazing opportunity ! Reminds me of Goldeneye.

It looked like it was very exciting! Is there a waiting list to get in to visit there?

Mike Nolan says:

16 February, 2015 at 1:03 pm

There’s a visitor’s center open Wed-Sun, and nerds can sometimes arrange more.

How are you liking your visit to Puerto Rico so far? Have you visited El Yunque Rain Forest yet? And how does the traffic compare to LA?

Ever since that episode of 3-2-1 Contact way back when, I’ve always wanted to go see this! So cool!

I was amazed by this when I visited. I had no idea it was there and we just happened to hear about it. Once we went, I had to tell everyone I knew what it was and push them to go!