Saturday, February 11, 2012

Arecibo Radio Telescope


Arecibo Radio Telescope is a 305m wide spherical dish nestled into a karst sinkhole in Puerto Rico.  Contrary to expectations raised by the GoldenEye Bond film, it is not a solid concrete surface, and could not contain any amount of water.  It's a mesh of aluminum panels raised off the limestone surface of the sinkhole, and carefully tensioned to match the intended spherical shape.

The telescope listens on numerous radio frequencies, but also transmits radar outwards to nearby bodies to listen to what they reflect back.

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