Pfft, think again buddy! According to David LaPoint, we can expect one in about 20 years!Not long to wait now in cosmic terms, but hopefully no immediate need to put your life plans on ice!
Estimates vary, but previous interglacial periods have lasted for around 10,000 years. Interglacial - Wikipedia
Sheesh.
As an engineer, this Arecibo Space Telescope was just about the WORST thing I ever saw in my life! 😀
I never wanted the responsibility of Manager. But really, what a pile of poo?
Unmaintainable. Of course it fell down. Who designs this C***? 😕
I never wanted the responsibility of Manager. But really, what a pile of poo?
Unmaintainable. Of course it fell down. Who designs this C***? 😕
What's the difference between poo and crap?
looks like a 2242 in need of a recone
How useful was it while up and running?
looks like a 2242 in need of a recone
How useful was it while up and running?
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Very!
An upgrade in 1997 doubled the power of the transmitter used for planetary radar studies to one million watts and, combined with the telescope, formed the world's most powerful radar system.
This resulted in images of remarkable resolution for the time, down to 15 metres for asteroids and comets. Arecibo was sensitive enough to detect a steel golf ball at the distance of the Moon or to eavesdrop on a cell phone conversation at the distance of Venus.
Some facts (and a little history) about Arecibo | Cornell Chronicle
The initial idea of using the large sink hole to form the collecting dish came from Cornell University.
Originally, a tripod or a tower in the centre was considered, but this would have presented a problem around the centre (the most important area) of the reflector.
A cable suspension method was designed instead, which included the ability to point at different positions in the sky and to track those positions for an extended time as the Earth rotates.
Very impressive. So what's better currently, and by how much? Is the Hubble the most powerful optical telescope?
More questions!
I've reached my limit of searching for information today.
Time you took a turn! 😉
I've reached my limit of searching for information today.
Time you took a turn! 😉
I could, and I do, but I thought this was archival..for you🙄
Besides, I just got home from a hard day's work slinging drywall in someone's basement, some of it 5'8" Type X!
Sheeesh.
🙂
Besides, I just got home from a hard day's work slinging drywall in someone's basement, some of it 5'8" Type X!
Sheeesh.
🙂
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I think the most powerful radio telescope is in China with a 500m dish versus Ex Arecibo with 305m.
The most powerful optical telescope is in Chile in the Athacama desert, actually a set of them, better than Hubble in space because of adaptative optical corrections to overcome the atmosphere perturbations.
Nowdays: All, large ones are multiple lenses.
I think the largest single lens was 10m, hitting a technology wall, too big to be stable enough under its own weight when moved.
Not sure, exactly that, something like it....
In Chile, all are multiple lenses and groups of telescopes are working together to get results as a much larger one.
I think the largest single lens was 10m, hitting a technology wall, too big to be stable enough under its own weight when moved.
Not sure, exactly that, something like it....
In Chile, all are multiple lenses and groups of telescopes are working together to get results as a much larger one.
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Cover the Earth with telescopes ?????
But where will you put the G5 antennas and big brothers data centers ?
I do I wish I had an encyclopediac knowledge of all things astronomical, cosmological and mathematical!
However, as I've declared before, I'm simply a humble seeker after of knowledge like you!
I have sufficient scientific nous to sift through reference materials and extract the gist of the information for digestible forum consumption.
I'm learning all the time through my investigations and the contributions of others. Sometimes you need an incentive to learn new things and that is what this thread provides.
Keep asking your questions. If I haven't signed off for the night, I'll try to answer them - within reason! 😉
Chile is an astronomer's paradise! 
Information on each of the 58 or so astronomical observatories in Chile can be obtained here:
Observatories in Chile | 2020 List | Go Astronomy
The Alma (Atacama Large Millimetre/Submillimetre Array) telescope in Chile's Atacama desert is said to be the world's most powerful radio telescope. Alma consists of an array of small dishes.
China's FAST (Five-Hundred-Meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope) is said to be the largest radio telescope in the world and most resembles the ill-fated Arecibo observatory as it comprises of a single, large dish.
Information on each of the 58 or so astronomical observatories in Chile can be obtained here:
Observatories in Chile | 2020 List | Go Astronomy
The Alma (Atacama Large Millimetre/Submillimetre Array) telescope in Chile's Atacama desert is said to be the world's most powerful radio telescope. Alma consists of an array of small dishes.
China's FAST (Five-Hundred-Meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope) is said to be the largest radio telescope in the world and most resembles the ill-fated Arecibo observatory as it comprises of a single, large dish.
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The Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), located on La Palma of Spain's Canary Islands, seized the top spot as the world's biggest ground-based optical telescope in 2009.
Its main 10.4 metre mirror consists of 36 hexagonal segments having some of the smoothest surfaces ever made. This ensures that perfect optical reflections are focused on the visible light or infrared detecting instruments.
On the way though, is the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT), a next generation contender for the biggest optical telescope on Earth, due to be operational by 2030.
Its main 10.4 metre mirror consists of 36 hexagonal segments having some of the smoothest surfaces ever made. This ensures that perfect optical reflections are focused on the visible light or infrared detecting instruments.
On the way though, is the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT), a next generation contender for the biggest optical telescope on Earth, due to be operational by 2030.
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