7 ms·

Longer article at https://www.alamogordonews.com/story/news/local/2018/09/07/sunspot-observatory-south-cloudcroft-closed-due-security-issue/1227788002/ https://

by yasp 8y ago

Longer article at https://www.alamogordonews.com/story/news/local/2018/09/07/sunspot-observatory-south-cloudcroft-closed-due-security-issue/1227788002/ https://www.alamogordonews.com/story/news/local/2018/09/07/s... Anyone have speculations on what this could be?

jbob2000 8y ago
Since it's the FBI, then it's probably a domestic threat. Given the huge show of force, my guess is armed extremists threatening to take it over? This is pure speculation, but I think this QAnon/whitehouse leaker stuff is driving people mad and in the coming years, we'll see rebel groups forming and doing more of this.
- LyndsySimon 8y ago
  > my guess is armed extremists threatening to take it over? ... why?
  - dvh 8y ago
    350 pounds (or 10 tons? Actual amount is unknown) of mercury
    - SEJeff 8y ago
      350 pounds of stupid
    - yasp 8y ago
      Do observatories usually have hundreds of pounds of mercury?
      - theoctopus 8y ago
        Some observatories (including this one it seems) use liquid mercury as mirrors: https://sunspot.solar/about/ https://sunspot.solar/about/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_mirror_telescope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_mirror_telescope
    - openasocket 8y ago
      OK, I'll bite: why would extremists want a whole bunch of mercury?
      - AnimalMuppet 8y ago
        It's a useful ingredient in some explosives.
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
    - LyndsySimon 8y ago
      ... as far as I know, mercury isn't a restricted product and can be shipped to your door. Here's a video of a guy flushing 240# of mercury down a toilet (NOT connected to a sewer or septic system), just to see if it was possible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvVaaZ21C44 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvVaaZ21C44 It's not exactly difficult to find industrial users of mercury, and the mercury at Sunspot is in a sealed instrument. I see no reason why the presence of mercury there would be incentive for an "armed group" to attempt to assault and/or hold the observatory.
      - amdavidson 8y ago
        Why is he not wearing gloves?!
        LyndsySimon 8y ago
        I'm no expert here, but is metallic mercury that much of a hazard? I thought it was the vapor that was the big risk with handling mercury. Obviously, I'd be sure of that before I handled it :)
        acct1771 8y ago
        Believe so. See: mad hatters
    - dsnuh 8y ago
      For reference, 350 lbs is about 3 gallons of liquid mercury. Mercury is heavy.
colanderman 8y ago
Apparently the post office was shut down too [1]. Maybe something dangerous/destructive/sensitive was mailed to/from the observatory? Would explain the feds (since post office is federal) and the seemingly thorough search of the property (crews on towers, etc.). [1] https://www.abqjournal.com/1219922/nm-solar-observatory-closed-authorities-mum.html https://www.abqjournal.com/1219922/nm-solar-observatory-clos...
- wrs 8y ago
  When I look at that article, it’s just a bunch of thick gray lines, as if it’s been completely redacted! Just a bug? Are we being trolled? It’s hilarious, anyway. (Edit: Ah, there’s a survey form that you have to click “skip” on to see the story. Still hilarious.)
  - subcosmos 8y ago
    Complete our marketing survey and be rewarded with a free FOIA!
- fractaleyes 8y ago
  When I was working at GE, we received a suspicious white powder substance in the mail that was treated as Anthrax. The HAZMAT team quarantined the workers in the room with the substance and the whole event was over in a few hours. Mind you, the substance turned out to not be Anthrax, so that could explain the timeline. My only question is why there was no mention from the USPS about that? The only thing we hear from the USPS is that they don't know why they have to evacuate, and were relocated to a city 30 mins out to work the mail there. It's not like the idea of sending a substance like that is new, so why all the secrecy a week later?
creaghpatr 8y ago
Is it possible the observatory is a front for some kind of SIGINT infrastructure? That's only my best guess, would line up with 'security issue' explanation and people walking around with antennas. I'm not educated in that area though.
mhuffman 8y ago
Broken arrow?[1] ... or similar? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_nuclear_incident_terminology#Broken_Arrow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_nuclear...

by yasp 8y ago

jbob2000 8y ago

Since it's the FBI, then it's probably a domestic threat. Given the huge show of force, my guess is armed extremists threatening to take it over? This is pure speculation, but I think this QAnon/whitehouse leaker stuff is driving people mad and in the coming years, we'll see rebel groups forming and doing more of this.

LyndsySimon 8y ago
> my guess is armed extremists threatening to take it over? ... why?
- dvh 8y ago
  350 pounds (or 10 tons? Actual amount is unknown) of mercury
  - SEJeff 8y ago
    350 pounds of stupid
  - yasp 8y ago
    Do observatories usually have hundreds of pounds of mercury?
    - theoctopus 8y ago
      Some observatories (including this one it seems) use liquid mercury as mirrors: https://sunspot.solar/about/ https://sunspot.solar/about/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_mirror_telescope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_mirror_telescope
  - openasocket 8y ago
    OK, I'll bite: why would extremists want a whole bunch of mercury?
    - AnimalMuppet 8y ago
      It's a useful ingredient in some explosives.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
  - LyndsySimon 8y ago
    ... as far as I know, mercury isn't a restricted product and can be shipped to your door. Here's a video of a guy flushing 240# of mercury down a toilet (NOT connected to a sewer or septic system), just to see if it was possible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvVaaZ21C44 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvVaaZ21C44 It's not exactly difficult to find industrial users of mercury, and the mercury at Sunspot is in a sealed instrument. I see no reason why the presence of mercury there would be incentive for an "armed group" to attempt to assault and/or hold the observatory.
    - amdavidson 8y ago
      Why is he not wearing gloves?!
      - LyndsySimon 8y ago
        I'm no expert here, but is metallic mercury that much of a hazard? I thought it was the vapor that was the big risk with handling mercury. Obviously, I'd be sure of that before I handled it :)
        acct1771 8y ago
        Believe so. See: mad hatters
  - dsnuh 8y ago
    For reference, 350 lbs is about 3 gallons of liquid mercury. Mercury is heavy.

colanderman 8y ago

Apparently the post office was shut down too [1]. Maybe something dangerous/destructive/sensitive was mailed to/from the observatory? Would explain the feds (since post office is federal) and the seemingly thorough search of the property (crews on towers, etc.). [1] https://www.abqjournal.com/1219922/nm-solar-observatory-closed-authorities-mum.html https://www.abqjournal.com/1219922/nm-solar-observatory-clos...

wrs 8y ago
When I look at that article, it’s just a bunch of thick gray lines, as if it’s been completely redacted! Just a bug? Are we being trolled? It’s hilarious, anyway. (Edit: Ah, there’s a survey form that you have to click “skip” on to see the story. Still hilarious.)
- subcosmos 8y ago
  Complete our marketing survey and be rewarded with a free FOIA!
fractaleyes 8y ago
When I was working at GE, we received a suspicious white powder substance in the mail that was treated as Anthrax. The HAZMAT team quarantined the workers in the room with the substance and the whole event was over in a few hours. Mind you, the substance turned out to not be Anthrax, so that could explain the timeline. My only question is why there was no mention from the USPS about that? The only thing we hear from the USPS is that they don't know why they have to evacuate, and were relocated to a city 30 mins out to work the mail there. It's not like the idea of sending a substance like that is new, so why all the secrecy a week later?

creaghpatr 8y ago

Is it possible the observatory is a front for some kind of SIGINT infrastructure? That's only my best guess, would line up with 'security issue' explanation and people walking around with antennas. I'm not educated in that area though.

mhuffman 8y ago

Broken arrow?[1] ... or similar? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_nuclear_incident_terminology#Broken_Arrow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_nuclear...