National Solar Observatory, USPS office in Sunspot, NM evacuated for 'safety reasons'

I think this is interesting because the FBI didn't tell anyone why they shut down the observatory and the post office. Easy to make myself a disaster movie scenario from the Post office being closed too. Like did the observatory or someone there try to send information through the mail to someone else?
If it were a movie the FBI would soon come up with a cover story to put out! Not much information I can find yet.
Even the Post Office has not been told why.

The National Solar Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico, and a nearby United States Postal Service office, were evacuated for security reasons Thursday, observatory officials said.

Sunspot is located in the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County about 15 miles south of Cloudcroft. There is currently a working telescope at the observatory, where New Mexico State University also conducts research.

A post office in the area has also been shut down. "Right now, what we're told is that they've temporarily evacuated the area. We haven't been told why or when that expires," said Rod Spurgeon, a spokesman with the USPS.

www.kvia.com...

originally posted by: SeaWorthy
I think this is interesting because the FBI didn't tell anyone why they shut down the observatory and the post office. Easy to make myself a disaster movie scenario from the Post office being closed too. Like did the observatory or someone there try to send information through the mail to someone else?

If it were a movie the FBI would soon come up with a cover story to put out! Not much information I can find yet.
Even the Post Office has not been told why.

The National Solar Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico, and a nearby United States Postal Service office, were evacuated for security reasons Thursday, observatory officials said.

Sunspot is located in the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County about 15 miles south of Cloudcroft. There is currently a working telescope at the observatory, where New Mexico State University also conducts research.

A post office in the area has also been shut down. "Right now, what we're told is that they've temporarily evacuated the area. We haven't been told why or when that expires," said Rod Spurgeon, a spokesman with the USPS.

www.kvia.com...

Think the post office was evacuated along with a few nearby residents, so like somebody said it could be anything. Kinda of freaky

a reply to: putnam6

Yeah, what was that movie where the guy at the observatory saw something coming at us and he couldn't call out wrecks his car so the information is burned

There was another one too where they saw something and the person was murdered and then of course look what they did in contact the FBI tried to take over the info

a reply to: SeaWorthy

An observatory, a post office, residents nearby.

The only thing I can think of that they have in common is location, which makes it seem that the unknown danger is something with an area effect - and a limited one at that.


Sounds like either radiation or explosives to me.

....sorry, can't secure the link, but it was only slightly more informative. Still no reason given.


The Sacramento Peak Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico, was built by the U.S. Air Force in 1947 after the military realized the sun was affecting their communications during World War II.

This might give pause as a possible reason... Communications ?

Also...Sunspot Observatory entrance was blocked with a stop sign and yellow crime scene tap Friday morning. So this is coming up on 24 hours easily.

www.alamogordonews.com...

This one maybe?

originally posted by: DupontDeux
a reply to: SeaWorthy

An observatory, a post office, residents nearby.

The only thing I can think of that they have in common is location, which makes it seem that the unknown danger is something with an area effect - and a limited one at that.


Sounds like either radiation or explosives to me.

Looks fairly close

Even stranger report here from Alamogordo.

originally posted by: caterpillage
www.alamogordonews.com...

This one maybe?

From your link so APO is about a mile away from Sunspot observatory.

The facility is the National Solar Observatory facility at Sacramento Peak that’s managed by AURA. Apache Point Observatory (APO) is currently in operation. APO was not evacuated. APO is about a mile away from Sunspot observatory. She said AURA does not have a comment about the type of security issue at this time.

originally posted by: incoserv
Even stranger report here from Alamogordo.

Ah from your link, so now I am thinking The Arrival!

He said he has a lot of unanswered question about what occurred at Sunspot. “But for the FBI to get involved that quick and be so secretive about it, there was a lot of stuff going on up there,” House said. “There was a Blackhawk helicopter, a bunch of people around antennas and work crews on towers but nobody would tell us anything.”

Very strange indeed. I'd like to know why I had to evacuate if they made me leave an area.

Commenting to come back to this posting for more information.

Something like SETI maybe ?

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
Very strange indeed. I'd like to know why I had to evacuate if they made me leave an area.

Commenting to come back to this posting for more information.

This is weird so there was nothing wrong that was see-able.

House said he pulled his deputies from the facility after there was no identifiable threat. “They wanted us up there to help evacuate but nobody would tell us anything,” he said. “We went up there and everything was good. There was no threat.

Nobody would identify any specific threat. We hung out for a little while then we left. No reason for us to be there. Nobody would tell us what we’re supposed to be watching out for.” House said he doesn’t understand why Sunspot didn’t call or notify them of the situation.

www.alamogordonews.com...

a reply to: SeaWorthy

In "Close Encounters" they staged a mock chemical spill and evacuated a town. . . .

Maybe they spotted something in the skies and reported it to the right/wrong people?

Evacuate, and cleanup operations underway...

Maybe there is something underground?

Likely just someone reported some crap about to hit the fan.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: SeaWorthy

In "Close Encounters" they staged a mock chemical spill and evacuated a town. . . .

Wow, google earth, looks like the "town" is just houses for the observatory nothing but forest for hundred miles.

Meteor, 2009, Christopher LLoyd, and The Comet Casandra
a reply to: SeaWorthy

Observatories are always in remote locations. That would seem to rule out a gas leak because there probable is no gas or sewage service in the remote location.

a reply to: SeaWorthy

Reminds me of Close Encounters scenario.

"We need something so scary that itll clear 300 square miles of every living Christian soul."

A tad hyperbolic, but just reminds me of that.

Mothership inbound!