Sunspots: What are they, and why do they occur? | Space Don't stare into the sun! AIA 0131. All rights reserved. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Sunspot, an aptly named community in southwestern New Mexico, is home to two major astronomical observatories. A government reticent to comment on anything. The Sunspot Solar Observatory (SSO) is an astronomical observatory designed for the study of the Sun.The observatory is operated by New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the National Solar Observatory (NSO). Located at an altitude of 9200 ft in the scenic Lincoln National Forest, Sunspot Solar Observatory is home to gorgeous vistas, historical landmarks, and one of the largest active solar telescopes in the world. ORIGINAL STORY BEGINS HERE: Everyone loves a good mystery, and there is a very curious one happening in New Mexico right now. As of today, September 13, 2018, the observatory remains closed. We have a very regular maintenance routine. The residents that vacated their homes will be returning to the site, and all employees will return to work this week. Sunspot is an unincorporated community in the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. Enjoy the ride to and from and learn more about the Solar System and the work being done at the Observatories. They appear dark because they are cooler than other parts of the Sun's surface. Suddenly the field of solar astronomy became an appealing goal for both astronomers and the military.[2][3]. It is also, unsurprisingly, making the rounds in various conspiracy forums. website belongs to an official government organization in the What their purpose was nobody will say. Nobody would identify any specific threat. Conspiracy theory: an alien, 'Annihilation event is unfolding at Aggie One Stop; Phonebook; Campus Map; Campuses; Campus Calendars & Events; Library; Canvas; Email; myNMSU; NMSU LEADS 2025; Sunspot Solar Observatory. The visitor center has nice restrooms, a small museum and an unfriendly lady worker inside. There is no Uranus sign because people keep stealing it! But would a mercury spill require the FBI to be involved? FBI records obtained by Reuters said that the Sunspot Solar Observatory, part of the National Solar Observatory on Sacramento Peak, was shut down due to criminal activity, specifically a. Learn about the unique, state-of-the-art instruments we use to study the Sun, contributed by universities all around the world. This spot directly overlooks the Oliver Lee Memorial State Park in the valley down below. The observatory is operated by New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the National Solar Observatory (NSO). Home of the International Space Hall of Fame. He started his blog The Meridiani Journal in 2005, which was a chronicle of planetary exploration. The observatory is operated by New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the National Solar Observatory (NSO). It was the FBI's domain. Suggest an Edit NM 6563/Sunspot Hwy Phone 575-434-7190 STUFF OF LEGEND. In the meantime, the rumor mill will continue to churn. The sunspot images were captured by the Michelson . It is split between operations at the telescope facility at Sunspot, New Mexico and data and management at the Department of Astronomy at New Mexico State University. The Strange, Sad Case of Sunspot, the Empty Astronomy Town The facility closed down in an orderly fashion and is now re-opening. The entire telescope measures more than 300 feet long and is enclosed in a vacuum tube, which prevents the suns heat from causing turbulence that could affect the telescopes output. Solar Pick ECLIPSE FROM A PLANE OVER ANTARTICA (December 23, 2021) . The visitors center is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the summer months. DOY:310 14:46 UT: Speed: 391.5 km/s Density: 3.53 p/cm 3: best of soho: images. BE BOLD. Shape the Future. - New Mexico State University Sunspot Solar Observatory and Apache Point Observatory sit on Sacramento Peak at an elevation of 9,200 feet (2800 meters), high enough to give telescopes a clearer view of objects in space by reducing interference from airborne particles called aerosols. ( According toOtero County Sheriff Benny House: The FBI is refusing to tell us whats going on. A small crew of 5 made the initial camp at the Sunspot site. Visitors are not permitted on observatory grounds after PM unless attending a special event held at the Visitor Center. Here's what closed Sunspot Solar Observatory - Earth & Sky If you are in Cloudcroft, the beauty of the ride to Sunspot and a nice short walk through Sunspot is certainly worth 2 hours of time. Weve got people up there (at Sunspot) that requested us to stand by while they evacuate it. The scatter plot showing the comparison of the daily sunspot area, panels (A-C); and monthly averaged sunspot area, panels (D-F) with M2020 for 1904-1920, 2012-2017 and for the extended period of . On KVIA, Shari Lifson, spokeswoman forthe Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) stated: We have decided to temporarily vacate this facility as a precautionary measure. We innovate on the telescopes, optics and technologies to give the clearest, most in-depth picture of our closest star, the Sun. The flagship telescope at the Sacramento Peak Observatory is the Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope (DST), previously known as the Vacuum Tower Telescope. Please call the Visitor Center at 575-434-7190 for more . It is funded by the National Science Foundation in partnership with the state of New Mexico. They can spawn eruptive disturbances such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). 575-434-7200, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/lincoln/recreation/outdoorlearning/recarea/?recid=34236&actid=120, Three Rivers Campground and Nearby Trails Closed. Learn More We Inspire The National Solar Observatory is a data-driven research institution dedicated to providing scientists with critical information needed to drive new research. The Sunspot Solar Observatory (SSO) is an astronomical observatory designed for the study of the Sun. On Thursday, September 6, the Sunspot Solar Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico, as well as a nearby United States Postal Service Office (USPS), was suddenly closed down and evacuated. The Sunspot Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak was shut for 11 days for "a security issue," and its closure drew cheeky speculation that authorities were investigating the presence of UFOs. Home (current) Mission . The observation room for the Dunn Solar Telescope is open for tours on select days and times. According to McAteer: Theres no mercury incident. Sunspot Solar Observatory is part of theNational Solar Observatorynetwork and is maintained by AURA. It was associated with both Harvard College Observatory and the University of Colorado and was incorporated in 1946. Your submission has been received! Located at an altitude of 9,200 feet in the Lincoln National Forest, the Sunspot Solar Observatory is home to one of the largest active solar telescopes in the world: theRichard B. Dunn Solar Telescope. Sunspot Solar Observatory DirectorR.T. James McAteer also said: Last Thursday, we got a phone call in the morning from AURA who told us to say that they were temporarily evacuating the site and asked us to evacuate our people. Sunspot observatory mystery explained: FBI child porn raid | news.com Sunspot Solar Observatory - Wikipedia Thats a completely different set of protocols that would not have involved them locking all the doors. Its main mirror measures almost five feet across, and sits at the bottom of a 228-foot pit below the telescope building. A daily update by email. Sunspot Solar Observatory Sunspot Solar Observatory NMSU is leading a consortium of universities to continue operations of the Dunn Solar Telescope at the Sunspot Solar Observatory. Conspiracy Theories Still Swirl Around the Sunspot Solar Observatory See https://bit.ly/3E2yWKV.) AURA determined that moving the small number of on-site staff and residents off the mountain was the most prudent and effective action to ensure their safety. In 1947, a location in the Sacramento Mountains was selected, and the Sunspot Solar Observatory was born. Theories have ranged from a mercury storage leak to alien contact. National Solar Observatory/ Sacramento Peak (Sunspot) - All You Need to SUNSPOT SOLAR OBSERVATORY - 50 Photos & 10 Reviews - Yelp The first sunspot image taken on January 28, 2020 by the NSF's Inouye Solar Telescope's Wave Front Correction context viewer is shown against an image of the full disk of the Sun from the GONG network of telescopes from the National Solar Observatory. Read more from Reuters. Given the significant amount of publicity the temporary closure has generated, and the consequent expectation of an unusual number of visitors to the site, we are temporarily engaging a security service while the facility returns to a normal working environment. An image of active regions on the Sun from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. Sacramento Peak was, at 9200 feet was also low enough to be more accessible to researchers than Climax at 11,000 feet and the thickly forested setting blocked interference from rising air currents up the mountain. ) or https:// means you've safely pic.twitter.com/1dJn9jew4I. The sunspot image inset is about 11,300 miles square, or 18,125 kilometers. [1] In September 1947, the USAF issued a contract to HAO and Harvard University to conduct a survey and thereby identify an appropriate site for a new solar observatory and to determine which instruments to install at the new site. Sunspot Seeking Applicants - New Mexico State University [1] Holloman Air Force Base could be used to supply the equipment and any supplies. Because the IP address led back to Sunspot, though, this activity wasn't actually New Mexico's concern: Sunspot is a federal facility. Visit the Observatory History Why Did the FBI Raid This Solar Observatory? - Latest UFO sightings Weve been out of there since Thursday morning. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Sunspot Solar Observatory Visit Located at an altitude of 9200 ft in the scenic Lincoln National Forest, Sunspot Solar Observatory is home to gorgeous vistas, historical landmarks, and one of the largest active solar telescopes in the world. Established by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) via a Memorandum of Agreement with the USFS in 1950, the facility was transferred to NSF in 1976. The Sun Now. According to a report from local television station KVIA, the Postal Service was told of the evacuation first and given no further information. Monster Sunspot Sends Huge Solar Flare Barrelling Toward Earth "History of HAO, Walter Orr Roberts, Sun Research, National Center for Atmospheric Research", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sunspot_Solar_Observatory&oldid=1086539029, This page was last edited on 6 May 2022, at 19:39. How (and Why) the FBI Mysteriously Shut Down a Federal Solar Observatory Share sensitive information only The glowing hot gas traces out the twists and loops of the Sun's magnetic field lines. Sunspot Solar Observatory: Located at 9,200ft in Sunspot, New Mexico, the Sunspot Solar Observatory is home to the Dunn Solar Telescope which monitors solar activity. House wants to know why the FBI had local law authorities help with the evacuation, but refused to tell them what it was about: They wanted us up there to help evacuate but nobody would tell us anything. Alamogordo, NM 88310 We havent been told why or when that expires. The John W. Evans Solar Facility (originally built 1952) hosted instruments for the High Altitude Observatory and the Air Force Research Lab and until 2009 obtained daily observations of million degree coronal emission that were used to predict the onset of the following solar cycle. Sunspot Solar Observatory Sunspots are dark, planet-size regions of strong magnetic fields on the surface of the sun. AIA 0211. Official websites use .gov A .gov sunspots : spaceweather : estimated Kp : solar wind. Regions of intense magnetic fields on the sun, known as sunspots, can release explosions of energy such as . Once the world's most modern observatory, this building is now a private school. There was no threat. Learn about the history surrounding the observatory, its establishment in 1947, the various historic telescopes on the site, the community of Sunspot, and the future of the site as we move forward into the future. It became an important mission of the USAF to establish a solar observatory and "after the war, when the Air Force recognized the need to organize its own long-range program of solar studies, it quite naturally turned for specialized assistance to the recently formed High Altitude Observatory (HAO)". In1940, the High Altitude Observatory (HAO) had been established in Climax, Colorado, specifically to study the sun. Sunspot is located on Sacramento Peak Lincoln National Forest specifically, in Otero County. The ~250 acres (100ha) area is located on National Forest Service lands, managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Lincoln National Forest, and the Sacramento Ranger District. She also added, for Alamogordo Daily News: The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy who manages the facility is addressing a security issue at this time. Inouye Solar Telescope Releases First Image of a Sunspot Legacy Telescopes - NSO - National Solar Observatory A planet-hunting astrograph built in the 1920s to seek out the so-called "Planet X" beyond Uranus. The Visitor Center contains exhibits from the Dunn Solar Telescope, the Apache Point Observatory, and the Lincoln National Forest. [1] Such studies of the upper atmosphere were critical for predicting conditions for radio communication, guided missiles, and supersonic aircraft and, as a result, solar observations "became essential to the war effort". AIA 1600. Sunspot Solar Observatory - Wikipedia On the western side of the Sacramento peak,[5] there are wide open views of Apache Point Observatory and Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescopes. Lincoln National Forest - Sunspot Solar Observatory Visitor Center Some of the more plausible theories have included some kind of spying incident or attempt from a hostile country or group (given the reports of people working on the antennas and towers), a possible terrorist plot or an accident involving the mercury stored beneath the facility. video game. AURA has been cooperating with an on-going law enforcement investigation of criminal activity that occurred at Sacramento Peak. They claim this drastic action was taken because of an employee misusing the internet, but others suspect there is a more frightening reason for the mysterious lockdown, linked to the facilities' observations of our deadly neighbor: the Sun. Buried beneath the New Mexico sands are believed to be millions of copies of Atari's E.T. Something went wrong while submitting the form. Sunspot Solar Observatory has just nine people working onsite these days. At the observatory and in the tiny self-contained village of Sunspot, populated by SSO researchers and employees, people ordinarily go about their business with little fanfare. A statement purportedly from an astronomer, posted on Reddit, says that an announcement from AURA will be coming soon. The Mysterious Evacuation of Sunspot Observatory - Narratively They "concluded that the section of the Sacramento Mountains in which Sacramento Peak is located would be especially promising for a solar research site. This place is located in the middle of the Lincoln National Forest, and is a really nice drive from Cloudcroft. It is split between operations at the telescope facility at Sunspot, New Mexico and data and management at the Department of Astronomy at New Mexico State University. The decision to vacate was based on the logistical challenges associated with protecting personnel at such a remote location, and the need for expeditious response to the potential threat. The Sunspot Astronomy and Visitor Center provides an interactive astronomical experience through activities, displays, and informational exhibits. AIA 0304. As reported in Alamogordo Daily News on September 13, 2018, the cause for the closure was not a mercury spill. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Join a walking tour of the Sunspot Solar Observatory. UPDATE SEPTEMBER 20, 2018. . A new article on The War Zone makes the case for espionage. The AURA statement said: On September 7, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) made the decision to temporarily vacate the Sunspot Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak, New Mexico, as a precautionary measure while addressing a security issue. It's managed by the Association of Universities for Research in. These . Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. 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