seti at he end....

[SirUlli]

Cuts threaten world?s largest telescope

By DANICA COTO, Associated Press Writer Thu May 31, 8:46 PM ET

ARECIBO, Puerto Rico - Engineers will travel to this Puerto Rican coastal town in coming weeks to study whether to shut down the world?s largest radio telescope, which was featured in the movie "Contact" but now faces steep budget cuts, observatory officials said Thursday.

But fears that it could face extinction began late last year, when a panel commissioned by the National Science Foundation , a U.S. federal agency, called for deep budget cuts and said officials should consider eliminating it entirely at the end of the decade.

"That?s not our desire. But we are looking at this for planning purposes," said Richard Barvainis, program manager of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, which includes the Arecibo observatory.

The telescope?s budget will plummet from $10.5 million this year to $4 million by 2010, Barvainis said, with the savings going to construct a telescope 20 times more powerful, perhaps in Australia or South Africa.

Officials said that regardless of what happens with the possible budget cuts, the telescope?s visitor center, which draws about 120,000 people a year, would remain open.

full story

http://www.leadingthecharge.com/ViewArticle.aspx?id=117431&source=2

Greetings from Germany Nrw
Sir Ulli

 

[petrusbroder]

Thanks fo rthe info, SirUlli.
But: this sounds very sad - and would certainly be a very big problem for Seti ... unless they can get data from somewhere else ...

 

[Coquito]

Let's all get an ATDC meet to say goodbye to the baby. My relatives own a ranch with a couple guest houses halfway across the island.

 

[Wolfsraider]

Wait Didnt I just read seti was planning to go 24/7 searching? hmmm... how does this effect that?

 

[amdxborg]

Thanx SirUlli, interesting developments..

 

[lizardth]

That doesn't sound good.
SETI was my first DC project :brokenheart:

 

[JonB]

Coquito - sounds like a road trip! I'll buy some beer!

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: JonB
Coquito - sounds like a road trip! I'll buy some beer!

As would I!

 

[Ken g6]

But I'm not sure this is the end for S@H. Whatever happened to that array of telescopes that was supposed to be exclusively for SETI?

 

[Rudy Toody]

Seti was my first time, too! I'll always remember that night!

I'm up for a road trip to say good-bye.

 

[uallas5]

I don't crunch SETI anymore but, like many here, it was my first crunching project (actually it was the only one back in'98 IIRC). It's sad to hear that's being shut down.

I went to visit it back in 02 and it was quite a thing to see. When your standing on the observation deck looking down into the dish, it's size is still hard to comprehend. I only got an indication when I noticed that one panel had been removed for repairs and that it's little dark rectangular hole was actually 1m x 3m in size. The surrounding area is quite beautiful with sharp, spikey green hills.

Well, at least I got the t-shirt!

 

[Hurricane Andrew]

My first as well. It's what brought me to this forum a few years ago. You never do forget your first, no matter how long it's been since you've moved on...:brokenheart:

 

[Assimilator1]

That will be sad if that telescope shuts down but AFAIK it wouldn't be the end of S@H as their planning on using more telescopes soon anyway.

Thx Ulli

 

[SirUlli]

also we have good News

The scientists have been working frantically to get the dishes ready for the day when they can all work together to listen for an alien radio signal.

That day could come as early as July, when scientists from the University of California at Berkeley are expected to install a device called a ?beam former.

http://www.redding.com/news/20...seti-station-being-bu/

and

i got just this Mail from David Anderson

This isn't bad news for SETI or SETI@home.
Eventually we have to move beyond Arecibo;
we're close to reaching the limit of what can be achieved there.
After that we need a big jump in telescope sensitivity,
which can only be provided by a telescope like
the Square Kilometer Array, which may exist in 5-6 years.

-- David

Grretings from Germany NRW
Sir Ulli

 

[Assimilator1]

Cool ,but I don't see that either have any near terms plans for S@H?

 

[JonB]

I'm still up for a road trip to PR. Looks like American Airlines can get me there for under $700 round trip. That leaves $300 for a room and beer.

 

[Coquito]

Originally posted by: JonB
I'm still up for a road trip to PR. Looks like American Airlines can get me there for under $700 round trip. That leaves $300 for a room and beer.

Well, it would take some time to plan. So that $700 should be more like $400. Quality beer is somewhat sparse down there, but I know a couple local BAs that might be able to help me. Luggage limit is something like 50lbs per piece, times two, so a couple growlers &/or half a case of 750s can make the trip.

There is also the fact that amenities are not quite 4-star. We have exactly two guest houses on the property. One is never used, so that's two beds & a couch, the other has an in-ground pool, so one of my uncles might be using it, depending on the weekend(again, 2 beds, plus a couch). There is not much on tv(4 channels?), & the male peacocks might keep us up if it's mating season.

Air-conditioning is the devil down here. Most people have the pre-conceived notion, that it sucks up energy. As a result, we have a lot of ceiling fans. One of my relatives houses near the end of the property has something like twelve ceiling fans. I wonder what his electric bill looks like.

We also might get lucky, if my one technology attuned relative decides to house one or two of us. His house is built on the cliff side, & he has a nice tv, internet, plush ammenities, & yes plenty of air conditioning. Just for the love of God, please put your car in park before exiting the vehicle.


Or we could just scrap the whole idea, & grab a couple hotels via Priceline. Definitely easier to find your way in & around, & the property is located in a valley. I'll post pictures for everyone to get a better idea.

 

[JonB]

First - I never said anything about Quality Beer. Not a prerequisite.
Second - Weather - here's what I find about weather in PR:

Puerto Rico enjoys a warm, tropical climate with temperatures of around 82ºF (27ºC) throughout the year. The temperature in the south is usually a few degrees higher than the north and temperatures in the central interior mountains are always cooler than the rest of the island. The dry season is usually from November to May but short showers can be expected throughout the year. The hurricane season is between June and November, but generally there is plenty of warning.

Third - I looked at Google Earth and found the Arecibo telescope, but where are you, Coquito? (roughly)

Fourth - did find some $309 round trips on Continental in October (8th to 12th). I'm just sayin'.

note- your profile says New York City, so I'm assuming you would have to travel also. So, the location question is more about your relatives or nearby motels/hotels/etc...

 

[Coquito]

This is in Aibonito. Question is, which one? All we have is a PO box for an address, so I have to call up grandma & see where her sister really is. There is one Aibonito down & to the left of Arecibo, & another all the way down & east close to Ponce. It might be on the outskirts of the town, as I remember they have a rose festival in the center square in July or August. We have to climb a few roads & then droop down. We are at least 20 minutes from town(which is quite beautiful). I have to dig out the photos & scan a bit.

There is also plenty of rum. Bacardi is like $6 a liter, & we all have stills in the back for our own concoctions.

 

[ElFenix]

with the savings going to construct a telescope 20 times more powerful

if you were going to build a much bigger telescope wouldn't you shut down the old one to accelerate the new one's building?

 

[networkman]

Seti@Home was my first exposure to Disctributed Computing too, followed closely by RC5. Over time, I gradually found other projects of more interest to myself, but I do think the project must allocate resources to newer technology and other locations. Just because the crater that Arecibo is constucted over is currently dormant doesn't mean it'll always be that way.

 

[Assimilator1]

It's constructed in a crater? lol didn't know that!
Is it a volcanic crater? ,even if it is doesn't necessarily mean it will become active again.Unless scientists have picked up activity in the area?

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

with the savings going to construct a telescope 20 times more powerful

if you were going to build a much bigger telescope wouldn't you shut down the old one to accelerate the new one's building?

no, because then you would have operational down-time. If you induce budget cuts to pay for the new one, then you can still keep the old one operational until the new one is built to eliminate that down-time.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: ElFenix

with the savings going to construct a telescope 20 times more powerful

if you were going to build a much bigger telescope wouldn't you shut down the old one to accelerate the new one's building?

no, because then you would have operational down-time. If you induce budget cuts to pay for the new one, then you can still keep the old one operational until the new one is built to eliminate that down-time.

that's what i mean

 

[Smoke]

Originally posted by: Assimilator1
It's constructed in a crater? lol didn't know that!
Is it a volcanic crater? ,even if it is doesn't necessarily mean it will become active again.Unless scientists have picked up activity in the area?

I know the answer to this one! Me! Me! Call on me!

When I was there the guide told me the Arecibo dish was built into one of the many "sink-holes" in the area.

Arecibo Observatory ala Google Maps

Looks like the above link doesn't lead you to the coordinates I intended. When you get to "Google Maps", enter the following into the destination: Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico. Switch to either the Satellite or Hybrid mode.

Check out the above linked map. Zoom in and out and you will see the makeup of the surrounding landscape.