Kitt Peak telescopes undamaged from wildfire
Firefighters have so far been able to protect the telescopes on Kitt Peak in Arizona from being damaged by a fast burning wildfire that began a week ago.
In a statement, NOIRLabs, which manages Kitt Peak Observatory for the National Science Foundation, said a crew of firefighters are working on the summit with multiple engines. Hydrants have been tested, and fire hoses deployed to defend the observatory’s buildings, they said, adding firefighters are dropping “large amounts” of fire retardant on the southern end of the observatory in an effort to slow the fire’s advance.
On Thursday, firefighters cleared a line of trees and brush below the peak’s southern ridge, an effort that was “mostly complete” by the evening, said NOIRLabs. Firefighters also cleared the area around individual domes, as well around “critical infrastructure,” and around flammable propane tanks. In some places, ground crews started backfires to create fuel breaks, officials said.
Firefighters are continuing to remove brush on the slopes, and have spotters watching for hot-spots.
That this point it appears the telescopes are safe, as the fire teams allow the fire to burn out.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Firefighters have so far been able to protect the telescopes on Kitt Peak in Arizona from being damaged by a fast burning wildfire that began a week ago.
In a statement, NOIRLabs, which manages Kitt Peak Observatory for the National Science Foundation, said a crew of firefighters are working on the summit with multiple engines. Hydrants have been tested, and fire hoses deployed to defend the observatory’s buildings, they said, adding firefighters are dropping “large amounts” of fire retardant on the southern end of the observatory in an effort to slow the fire’s advance.
On Thursday, firefighters cleared a line of trees and brush below the peak’s southern ridge, an effort that was “mostly complete” by the evening, said NOIRLabs. Firefighters also cleared the area around individual domes, as well around “critical infrastructure,” and around flammable propane tanks. In some places, ground crews started backfires to create fuel breaks, officials said.
Firefighters are continuing to remove brush on the slopes, and have spotters watching for hot-spots.
That this point it appears the telescopes are safe, as the fire teams allow the fire to burn out.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Shouldn’t the so brilliant minds at Kitt Peak have realized the danger of wildfires (like they happen every summer in Arizona) and had the underbrush cleared on their own dime? It’s not rocket science, folks. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is ancient wisdom, as is “Penny wise and pound foolish”
Col, what makes you think this wasn’t done? I encourage you to read the article at link in the first sentence of this article.
A lot of hard work went into minimizing fire damage on the peak, and protecting the telescopes there. There are over 20 optical telescopes and I believe two radio telescopes in the complex. I don’t know of an observatory with more.
Clearly says the firefighters are doing the job that should have been done by foresters
These facilities were necessary and advanced science in the 20th century. It’s time now to make the concerns of weather, fire, atmospheric distortions go the way of the steam engine.
Museums are full of human accomplishments, huge milestones, stepping stones, that are no longer relevant. It’s time to make meaningful steps /leaps towards the future… we all know it’s around the corner. (I ’m thinking a dozen more Hubble telescopes with 1000 times the capabilities for the price of the original, with radio telescopes miles wide in various craters beginning on the moon)
The technology and the capabilities for so much more is currently available… Unless the progressives (regressive) have their way and shut it all down. If that’s the case, then the future of the peak will be the same as in Hawaii…
The fire breaks will not be maintained or blocked for environmental or religious reasons and the infrastructure to fight fires on the peak will go away. It will be deemed unsustainable, not physically responsible, socially inappropriate, not equitable in its appropriations for its lack of diversity. The peak, next time, will burn.
No doubt the environmentalists will cheer exclaiming “the earth has won” restored to its natural form. One only needs to watch the environmental news to know that those in charge now firmly believe that the only way to save the planet is if the human race loses.
Immediate action trumps thoughtful planning and stewardship. Destroying the planet in the name of saving it.
Hopefully we can put off the dark age just a little longer.
It’s pretty hard to start a space-based telescope on fire. Conversely, the micro-meteor threat to ground-based telescopes is equally small.