ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s one of New Mexico’s most storied observatories, as Sarah Moody recalls, “It was opened in 1947 by the Air Force base to study solar weather, because they learned that it was affecting the radio communications at the time,” going on to say, “The big telescope, the Dunn Solar Telescope, was built in August 15th, 1969.”
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But problems with that telescope are now threatening its existence. An hour south of Alamogordo, the Sunspot Observatory is dealing with a mercury leak within the telescope. It led to a permanent closure earlier this year, and a decision from the National Science Foundation to demolish the site. “We have a responsibility to leave the next generation with more than just photographs and stories of the places we chose not to save,” said Moody…