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

originally posted by: caterpillage
A thing I haven't been able to find yet is the 8 tons of mercury thing. Where is that stated? As I have found so far, the Dunn telescope does indeed use a mercury fluid bearing comprised of mercury, but I can't see how that would take 8 tons of the stuff to accomplish.

It takes a lot less mercury than you think to make up 8 tons of mercury it’s some dense ish. Is the entire colum full of mercury? That’d get you your 8 tons in a hurry.

originally posted by: jadedANDcynical
a reply to: caterpillage

Yup, this is an anon using your idea as fodder for their post there. Way too similar to be coincidental.

Yep and two threads over they got guys lighting their farts with a lighter.

originally posted by: BigDave-AR

originally posted by: caterpillage
A thing I haven't been able to find yet is the 8 tons of mercury thing. Where is that stated? As I have found so far, the Dunn telescope does indeed use a mercury fluid bearing comprised of mercury, but I can't see how that would take 8 tons of the stuff to accomplish.

It takes a lot less mercury than you think to make up 8 tons of mercury it’s some dense ish. Is the entire colum full of mercury? That’d get you your 8 tons in a hurry.

10 tons Hg is about 25 cubic feet I think. Remember trying to figure out the volume when they were saying 20 tons .

a reply to: Cootie
Seems to be an active grant. And the news/statements identify it as ‘safety/security’. I don’t think it’s due to funding.

originally posted by: charlyv

originally posted by: BigDave-AR

originally posted by: caterpillage
A thing I haven't been able to find yet is the 8 tons of mercury thing. Where is that stated? As I have found so far, the Dunn telescope does indeed use a mercury fluid bearing comprised of mercury, but I can't see how that would take 8 tons of the stuff to accomplish.

It takes a lot less mercury than you think to make up 8 tons of mercury it’s some dense ish. Is the entire colum full of mercury? That’d get you your 8 tons in a hurry.

10 tons Hg is about 25 cubic feet I think. Remember trying to figure out the volume when they were saying 20 tons .

Thanks for doing the figuring I never cared about the volume I was hauling by weight.

Trying to link the post office to the observatory. A theory that might fit in with the terrorist cell that has been hinted at.
Individuals climbing the radio/ cell towers could very well be the investigation the possibility of using the towers or hardware for their own use.
The post office may have had an inside man or more that was used for funneling goods or money in or out.

Another key note is that sunspot is only about 100 miles from the mexico border as the crow flies... which could make Sunspot a very good spot for laying low and away from big city and law enforcement.

Is there a way to have enough range to get radio signals far enough to communicate across the border from a radio tower there? 100 miles? Maybe just close to the border is all they would need?

originally posted by: Bigburgh

originally posted by: Cootie
I heard it was closed for lack of funding. I have a friend up there in Timberon who's going to ask around.

So the FBI is brought in to see the closing down?

What the post office was out of $$ too?
I think they would have had advanced warning they don't work for the university.

originally posted by: 40CalTone
Trying to link the post office to the observatory. A theory that might fit in with the terrorist cell that has been hinted at.
Individuals climbing the radio/ cell towers could very well be the investigation the possibility of using the towers or hardware for their own use.
The post office may have had an inside man or more that was used for funneling goods or money in or out.

Another key note is that sunspot is only about 100 miles from the mexico border as the crow flies... which could make Sunspot a very good spot for laying low and away from big city and law enforcement.

Is there a way to have enough range to get radio signals far enough to communicate across the border from a radio tower there? 100 miles? Maybe just close to the border is all they would need?

I can’t see non authorized personnel climbing a pole to get radio reception to the border much easier methods that are much less consipicous that would only get you a one time shot. That’s also be far outside of civilian available UAVs for transporting illegal goods across the border much better places to base activities like that out of IMO. I could be totally off base but that feels like a reach to me, not that I have any better idea...

originally posted by: caterpillage
Stumbled across this on FB, this person is posting about going up there on a motorcycle ride 13 hours ago. So yesterday afternoon? He doesn't mention seeing anything out of the ordinary.
I blacked out the name since I think posting it here would violate t&c.

The person who posted that has their settings on FB set to public, so I commented asking if he saw anything strange during his ride.

I'll update if he responds.

"HIGHEST HYDROGEN CONCENTRATION ON EARTH"....

people wondering how the observatory could fry a bird...
It reflects light off a subterranean 64" mirror... Then back up through a vacuum tube...
.....
Recipe for ignition??

originally posted by: prevenge

originally posted by: caterpillage
Stumbled across this on FB, this person is posting about going up there on a motorcycle ride 13 hours ago. So yesterday afternoon? He doesn't mention seeing anything out of the ordinary.
I blacked out the name since I think posting it here would violate t&c.

The person who posted that has their settings on FB set to public, so I commented asking if he saw anything strange during his ride.

I'll update if he responds.

"HIGHEST HYDROGEN CONCENTRATION ON EARTH"....

people wondering how the observatory could fry a bird...
It reflects light off a subterranean 64" mirror... Then back up through a vacuum tube...
.....
Recipe for ignition??

There is most likely an inverse concentration of carbon dioxide and oxygen as well. Up there, you go so high up that trees start to stunt grow, due to lack of CO2 and oxygen imbalance.

originally posted by: prevenge

originally posted by: caterpillage
Stumbled across this on FB, this person is posting about going up there on a motorcycle ride 13 hours ago. So yesterday afternoon? He doesn't mention seeing anything out of the ordinary.
I blacked out the name since I think posting it here would violate t&c.

The person who posted that has their settings on FB set to public, so I commented asking if he saw anything strange during his ride.

I'll update if he responds.

"HIGHEST HYDROGEN CONCENTRATION ON EARTH"....

people wondering how the observatory could fry a bird...
It reflects light off a subterranean 64" mirror... Then back up through a vacuum tube...
.....
Recipe for ignition??

Me don’t thinks it works like that, even the highest natural hydrogen concentration is going to be so far below a explosive level it doesn’t matter, if I remember right combustibility starts at about a 1:1 ratio of hydrogen and oxygen.

a reply to: BigDave-AR

Exactly. It is not really more H, it is more like H is lighter than C and O2, so it is in "a higher concentration" relative to sea level.

originally posted by: charlyv
a reply to: BigDave-AR

Exactly. It is not really more H, it is more like H is lighter than C and O2, so it is in "a higher concentration" relative to sea level.

Not to mention it’d be nowhere near stoichiometric.

originally posted by: BigDave-AR

originally posted by: charlyv
a reply to: BigDave-AR

Exactly. It is not really more H, it is more like H is lighter than C and O2, so it is in "a higher concentration" relative to sea level.

Not to mention it’d be nowhere near stoichiometric.

Good One. Nothing like the release of a complex word! I love them.
For those who don't get that: " relating to or denoting quantities of reactants in simple integral ratios, as prescribed by an equation or formula."

We use this science to determine if something is self-detonating in a normal environment.

originally posted by: charlyv

originally posted by: BigDave-AR

originally posted by: charlyv
a reply to: BigDave-AR

Exactly. It is not really more H, it is more like H is lighter than C and O2, so it is in "a higher concentration" relative to sea level.

Not to mention it’d be nowhere near stoichiometric.

Good One. Nothing like the release of a complex word! I love them.
For those who don't get that: " relating to or denoting quantities of reactants in simple integral ratios, as prescribed by an equation or formula."

We use this science to determine if something is self-detonating in a normal environment.

Gotta show us truckers aren’t complete knuckle-draggers now and again....

a reply to: BigDave-AR

And I understand and respect the awareness you have in needing to understanding the risk factor in what you are Truckin !!!

originally posted by: charlyv
a reply to: BigDave-AR

And I understand and respect the awareness you have in needing to understanding the risk factor in what you are Truckin !!!

Thank you kind sir! Yeah stoichiometric is quite the important term when hauling 8,000 gallons of fuel stuffs, I like to stay as far away from 14.7:1 as possible when hauling gas

Maybe they saw this was coming
From my sky cam last night had 2

I find it odd that the county sheriff doesn't know what is going on considering they have authority over the area.

a reply to: 40CalTone

Yea I'm just not buying the "terrorist" angle at all. Seems that there would be a million better places to "infiltrate" than a sun observatory. Sounes like capitalizing on the anti-immigrant and racism rampant in our current politics more than anything IMO. NOT implying that you are attempting to scaremonger or anything- unless you are the one that initially came up with this "theory"... But i believe someone mentioned it earlier in the thread as well. It does sound like a typical "cover story" , especially with the political climate... But i even doubt that

That sad I could be very wrong lol this whole situation is weird so who knows.