Sunspot Observatory closed due to security issue

[specsaregood]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?526299-Sunspot-Observatory-closed-due-to-security-issue

thanks, dunno why that wasn't showing up in my search

 

[phill4paul]

thanks, dunno why that wasn't showing up in my search

It's the approaching alien spacecraft that is disrupting the search engines.

 

[CaptUSA]

So, if it was the FBI that shut it down, it's probably for financial reasons or some other illegal activity that deemed it part of a crime scene. I mean, the reasons are limitless and it's useless to speculate. Perhaps one of the employees was on a list of people who received a phone call from suspect they've been tracking??? Maybe someone sent a suspicious package to the site?? Best not to jump to conclusions.

I'd be more concerned if it was the NSA, the military, or some other alphabet soup agency.

 

[unconsious767]

The .gov is always finding new ways to look up uranus

 

[Origanalist]

The .gov is always finding new ways to look up uranus

You've been waiting a long time to make that comment.

 

[jllundqu]

File this under interesting and keep an eye out

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Observatory probably received a package in the mail that contained a white powder and then someone felt sick. Hit the panic button.

 

[Swordsmyth]

Despite unusually high sunspot activity during an otherwise quiet period and a minor CME ejection which hit Earth last week, it appears that threat has passed, for now - as a CME takes anywhere from one to three days to hit, which brings us back to aliens and other theories. It doesn't help that several public solar observatory cams have gone offline, including NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) which will be offline "for several weeks" in order to update the "code infrastructure that provides access to SOHO data."

Others have pointed to the fact that NASA launched a new solar probe last month - the first-ever mission to "touch" the sun, while the space agency will (or has) shot it's Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) 190 miles into space for a 15-minute "peek" at the sun.

The FOXSI mission will take its third flight from the White Sands Missile Range in White Sands, New Mexico, no earlier than September 7, the agency said in a statement. Derived from the nautical term "to sound", meaning to measure, FOXSI rockets make brief 15-minute journeys above the Earth's atmosphere for a peek at space before falling back to the ground. -TimesNowNews
​

One reader who wishes to remain anonymous has a few theories, including why other solar observatories around the world haven't been raided and locked down:

The many thousands of telescopes world wide are normally looking at the night sky, not at the sun. Additionally, most telescopes are looking at things at distances of 100,000's of light years. They won't "see" a UFO hovering right if front of them, or even a few light minutes away. Only solar scopes are looking at as short a distance as 8 light minutes.
The FBI swooping in on a Blackhawk means that "time" was a factor in the "effectiveness" of their response.
That the FBI shut down the post office is really interesting. Makes me think someone (unidentified) was trying to get the word out, about something, and the FBI was called in to rapidly shut down efforts to communicate beyond the observatory. Shut down the post office and check all the mail, shut down RF comms (guys on the antenna) and go over the facility with a fine tooth comb to find any memory stick or any "virus" program hiding in a computer somewhere ready to send data out to the web when reactivated.
It also wouldn't surprise me to learn that every solar observatory in the world has someone, like their director, who's job is to erase such data. What would it look (to the outside world) like if this designated person at Sunspot AZ contacted the "authorities" and said "we got a 'rogue' trying to get the word out, I need help to shut this thing down"?
How about this: what if data collected from the preeminent solar telescope did show we're heading into a Maunder Minimum; mini ice-age for next 100 years or so? I just read before this FBI episode that solar astronomers had discovered a new solar feature deep in the Sun. Don't remember the details, something about a new, big convection cell or something.
​

What are the locals saying?

ABC-7 Monday spoke with Shari Lifson, who is with AURA, the company that co-manages the Observatory with NMSU.

“The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy who manages the facility is addressing a security issue at this time. We have decided to vacate the facility at this time as precautionary measure. It was our decision to evacuate the facility.”
​

Lifson told ABC 7 there is no timetable for the Observatory to be re-opened.
ABC-7 also reached out to the FBI, but did not hear back from the federal agency in time for the deadline. The FBI did speak with local law enforcement about the length of the observatory closure.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018...on-stirs-foreign-power-spying-us-missile-base

 

[Swordsmyth]

2 hours ago

(Edited)
White Sands Missile Range is testing new weapons. When the F-117 was stationed at White Sands, one was not allowed to look at it. It flew at night, but in the day it was in hangars.
Many weapons systems were and are tested at White Sands. It could be the new hypersonic bomber or a new hypersonic missile.
At the elevation of Sunspot, the extremist of the FBI most likely believe it's a national security issue to shut down an observatory with sophisticated cameras.
If this is the case, we will never be told why.
Note: when I was a young man, I was on the GPS R&D team testing GPS for ICBM guidance at White Sands. Another time, I was on a Lance missile shoot for NATO nations to demonstrate and/or purchase Lance missile.
If a missile needs to be tested, then it's White Sands Missile Range.

 

[Swordsmyth]

 

[TheCount]

Concerned citizens need to take matters into their own hands and begin staring at the sun for long periods each day in order to perform the observations that the government doesn't want them to do.

 

[timosman]

Sunspot Solar Observatory is transitioning back to regular operations as of September 17th

http://aura-astronomy.org/news/news.asp?newsID=389

September 16, 2018

On September 6th, 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. The facility closed down in an orderly fashion and is now re-opening. The residents that vacated their homes will be returning to the site, and all employees will return to work this week.

AURA has been cooperating with an on-going law enforcement investigation of criminal activity that occurred at Sacramento Peak. During this time, we became concerned that a suspect in the investigation potentially posed a threat to the safety of local staff and residents. For this reason, AURA temporarily vacated the facility and ceased science activities at this location.

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. 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 light of recent developments in the investigation, we have determined there is no risk to staff, and Sunspot Solar Observatory is transitioning back to regular operations as of September 17th. 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.

We recognize that the lack of communications while the facility was vacated was concerning and frustrating for some. However, our desire to provide additional information had to be balanced against the risk that, if spread at the time, the news would alert the suspect and impede the law enforcement investigation. That was a risk we could not take.

About Sunspot Solar Observatory

Since late 2017, the Sunspot Solar Observatory Consortium has run the Sunspot Visitors Center as well as daily research activities for the solar community with the Dunn Solar Telescope, in collaboration with The National Solar Observatory (NSO.) AURA, through NSO, continues to manage the site. There are approximately nine New Mexico State University and AURA staff employed at the observatory.

Sunspot Solar Observatory was established on Sacramento Peak in 1947, and is based in Sunspot, NM, in the United States. Sunspot is an unincorporated community in the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County. Named after the nearby solar observatory, Sunspot is located within the Lincoln National Forest, 18 miles south of Cloudcroft, at an elevation of 9200 feet (2800 m).

NSO operated the Dunn Solar Telescope at the observatory from 1969 to 2017, managed by AURA under an agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). Beginning in 2016, the New Mexico State University initiated a drive funded by NSF to upgrade and update the Sunspot facility, through a newly-formed Sunspot Solar Observatory Consortium. All observational data is sent to New Mexico State University servers and research from the data is performed nationwide.

The National Solar Observatory (NSO) is the national center for ground-based solar physics in the United States and is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation Division of Astronomical Sciences.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science. NSF supports basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future.

About AURA

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a consortium of 46 US institutions and 4 international affiliates that operates world-class astronomical observatories. AURA’s role is to establish, nurture, and promote public observatories and facilities that advance innovative astronomical research. In addition, AURA is deeply committed to public and educational outreach, and to diversity throughout the astronomical and scientific workforce. AURA carries out its role through its astronomical facilities.

Contact:
Shari Lifson
AURA Corporate Communications Coordinator
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
[email protected] | +1 (202) 769-5232
www.aura-astronomy.org

Follow AURA on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AURADC
and Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/AURAastronomy/

 

[Swordsmyth]

http://aura-astronomy.org/news/news.asp?newsID=389

More vague nonsense that doesn't explain anything.

 

[specsaregood]

https://www.ktsm.com/news/local/el-...osure-according-to-court-documents/1460386237

Child pornography reason behind Sunspot Observatory closure, according to court documents

A federal search warrant reveals that Sunspot Solar Observatory was shut down as FBI agents conducted computer forensic searches for child pornography.
The source of child pornography was traced to an IP address used at the observatory and a source within the building observed a computer with "not good" images on it, the warrant states.
An investigation by the FBI revealed that a janitor is the main suspect in the search, however he has not been charged with a crime even though his name in on the warrant.
The warrant states the suspect would use the observatory Wifi and a personal laptop to download the child pornography.
A limited number of people have access to the observatory from dusk until dawn, which helped narrow their search.
The observatory in the mountains of southern New Mexico had been closed since Sept. 6 because of an undisclosed security concern, but reopened on Monday.

tough to believe...

 

[oyarde]

https://www.ktsm.com/news/local/el-...osure-according-to-court-documents/1460386237


tough to believe...

Well , if you want to blame the janitor would you not let him continue while you try and catch him ?

 

[Swordsmyth]

https://www.ktsm.com/news/local/el-...osure-according-to-court-documents/1460386237


tough to believe...

And that required the Post Office to be shut down because..........

 

[oyarde]

And that required the Post Office to be shut down because..........

And houses on the property vacated . Postal Employees sent home and given no reason . Mail moved to another post office .

 

[specsaregood]

And houses on the property vacated . Postal Employees sent home and given no reason . Mail moved to another post office .

clearly, this janitor was the madman behind an international child porn mail order program, based in the middle of nowhere, US.

 

[timosman]

Sheriff slams FBI's handling of observatory closure: 'It's chicken ... '

https://www.kvia.com/news/new-mexic...f-observatory-closure-it-s-chicken-/796397199

Sep 17, 2018

SUNSPOT, New Mexico - Otero County Sheriff Benny House told ABC-7's New Mexico Mobile Newsroom Monday he was infuriated at the way the FBI handled the sudden and mysterious closure of the National Solar Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico.

"I think it's chicken shit the way the FBI handled it. I have a responsibility to protect my citizens," said House, "I think it's paramount that we know what the threat is so we can provide safety."

The observatory is located 17 miles from Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The facility, and the Sunspot Post Office, located on observatory property, were suddenly closed on Thursday September 6, 2018. The staff at the post office was relocated to the post office in Cloudcroft during the closure.

On Sunday, September 16, 2018, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) announced it was reopening the facilities.

AURA, the agency that runs the observatory, said in a news release the observatory was closed as a precautionary measure while the FBI investigated suspected criminal activity. "During this time, we became concerned that a suspect in the investigation potentially posed a threat to the safety of local staff and residents. For this reason, AURA temporarily vacated the facility and ceased science activities at this location. 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," AURA said in a news release.

ABC-7 has reached out to AURA and the FBI for additional information on the alleged criminal activity and the suspect in question. AURA has still not returned any of the numerous phone calls made.

Frank Fisher, the New Mexico FBI Public Affairs Officer, Albuquerque Division, did return one of our phone calls today. In the very brief call, he declined to answer any of the questions that we asked regarding the 'dangerous suspect', and would not respond to the Otero County Sheriffs statements regarding the FBI investigation. Fisher told us to refer back to the AURA statement, and quickly hung up the phone.

During the closure, ABC-7 reached out to professors at NMSU, who conduct research at the facility, and the U.S. Postal Service. Both said they were not told why the observatory was closed.

Sheriff House told ABC-7 he had not seen AURA's news release until an ABC-7 reporter showed it to him.

House is demanding answers. "Is there a bomb threat? Is there an active shooter? Is it chemical? We need to know so we know what kind of man power to send up there, and with out knowing, it's dangerous for everybody," House said, "We have a duty to protect and we can't protect them if we don't know what is going on."

House said he reached out to the FBI repeatedly and was kept in the dark. "We've asked and asked (the FBI) and they will not tell us anything," the sheriff said.