Arecibo Astronomical Observatory is located in Puerto Rico at an altitude of 497 meters above sea level. Cornell University and the US National Center for Astronomy and Ionosphere are conducting research here. The diameter of the dish of the radio telescope is 304.8 m, and the depth of the mirror is 50.9 m. The surface of the reflector is covered with 38 778 aluminum plates, each of which has a size of 1×2 meters. The mirror itself is located in a natural depression, and the movable feed is suspended on cables from three support frames: its position determines which part of the sky will be in focus. Interestingly, the telescope reflector, transparent to sunlight, is used as a greenhouse for growing crops. The radio telescope is necessary for research in the field of radio astronomy, atmospheric physics and radar observations of objects in the solar system.
Puerto Rico Wonders Stars
