dammIT

A rantbox by Michiel Scholten

Slightly sad about a big dish


Birds-eye view of the now-defunct Arecibo Telescope

Almost a week ago, the massive Arecibo Telescope (part of the Arecibo Observatory) collapsed. It used to be an impressive dish lying flat in the lush green forests of Puerto Rico.

The construction already was deemed dangerous and was planned to be demolished, but the event still came as a shock, especially because it's such an iconic apparatus.

Only a sad crater remains:

Collapsed Arecibo Telescope remains

The YouTube video in the link documents the last 17 seconds from various angles, with more information on the structure and cables. Worth a look.