arecibo observatory Archives

Astronomy Cast Ep. 459: Arecibo Observatory

2 Oct , 2017 by Susie Murph

The iconic Arecibo Radio Observatory has been a mainstay in science and science fiction. This Puerto Rico-based radio telescope was already in an uncertain level of funding. But now with the damage from Hurricane Maria, it might be shut down forever. We usually record Astronomy Cast every Friday at 1:30 pm PDT / 4:30 pm […]

Strange Radio Signals Detected from a Nearby Star

18 Jul , 2017 by Matt Williams

A recent survey conducted by the Arecibo Observatory detected a strange radio signal coming from Ross 128, a star system just 11 light-year from Earth.

What If We Do Find Aliens?

24 Nov , 2016 by Fraser Cain

We’ve been so busy wondering how we’ll find aliens that we never stopped to consider what we’ll do if we actually encounter them. How does an alien discovery get communicated to the media? Who’s responsible to craft a response?

Podcast (audio): Download (Duration: 7:51 — 2.9MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

Podcast (video): Download (Duration: 7:53 — 103.1MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

Fast Radio Bursts On Repeat – Aliens, Or A Rotating Neutron Star?

3 Mar , 2016 by Matt Williams

A team of scientists from CSIRO and McGill have achieved an first by being able to pinpoint the source of fast radio bursts, which have left the astronomical community baffled

Into The Black? Maybe Radio Bursts Are From Outside The Galaxy After All, Study Says

14 Jul , 2014 by Elizabeth Howell

Where are these radio bursts coming from? Astronomers have heard these signals from the sky several times, but always with the same telescope (Parkes Observatory in Australia). There was debate about whether these were coming from inside or outside the galaxy, or even from Earth itself (given only the one observatory was detecting them.) A […]

New Arecibo Radar Images Show Comet Responsible for Camelopardalids is an Icy, Cratered Mini World

30 May , 2014 by Nancy Atkinson

When Comet 209P/LINEAR — the comet that brought us the Camelopardalids meteor shower last weekend – was first discovered in February of 2004, astronomers initially thought it was an asteroid. However, subsequent images of the objects showed it had a tail, and so it was reclassified as a comet. Now, new images taken by the […]

Arecibo Observatory Back in Action Following Earthquake Damage

14 Mar , 2014 by Nancy Atkinson

Damage to the iconic Arecibo Observatory from an earthquake earlier this year has been repaired and the telescope is now back to full service. On January 13, 2014, the William E. Gordon radio telescope sustained damage following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that was centered 37 miles northwest of Arecibo. A large cable that supports the […]

Arecibo Observatory Undergoing Emergency Repairs After Earthquake Causes Damage

12 Feb , 2014 by Nancy Atkinson

The Arecibo Observatory’s 305 meter (1,000 ft) radio telescope is undergoing emergency repair after being damaged during a 6.4 magnitude earthquake on January 13, 2014. A large cable that supports the telescope’s receiver platform had “serious damage,” according to Bob Kerr, the Director of the Arecibo Observatory. “A protocol structural survey following the January 13 […]

Podcast: The Arecibo Observatory

11 May , 2013 by Astronomy Cast

The mighty Arecibo Radio Observatory is one of the most powerful radio telescopes ever built – it’s certainly the larger single aperture radio telescope on Earth, nestled into a natural sinkhole in Puerto Rico. We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the construction of the observatory with a special episode of Astronomy Cast. Click here to […]

Recent Earth-Passing Asteroid is Much Bigger Than Originally Estimated

22 Jun , 2012 by Nancy Atkinson

An asteroid that recently passed by Earth is about twice as large as originally estimated, and it would have had serious global consequences if it had impacted Earth. Asteroid 2012 LZ1 was only discovered on June 10, 2012 by Rob McNaught at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. This Near Earth Object was thought to […]

Universe TodaySpace and astronomy news