Comments on: Kitt Peak telescopes undamaged from wildfire

By: markedup2

markedup2 — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 15:30:04 +0000

It’s pretty hard to start a space-based telescope on fire. Conversely, the micro-meteor threat to ground-based telescopes is equally small.

By: Max

Max — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 20:37:39 +0000

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.

By: Col Beausabre

Col Beausabre — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 02:56:01 +0000

Clearly says the firefighters are doing the job that should have been done by foresters

By: Tim Johnson

Tim Johnson — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 21:52:52 +0000

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.

By: Col Beausabre

Col Beausabre — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 20:11:11 +0000

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”