What ever became of the solar observatory that was closed?

a reply to: SJE98

If that diatribe is true, then there would have been no reason to cover it up. The press would just have a field day with it and that would have been that. The lockdown and the foolish reasons was unprecendented.

I think the observatories proximity to White Sands is likely related to the events.

Maybe something needed to be tested at White Sands that they didnt want people to see.

originally posted by: SlightlyAbovePar
a reply to: AaarghZombies
That’s because the suspect was determined to not have actually done anything wrong, or at least nothing that rose to criminal level and with child porn, that’s understandably not a high hurdle to get over.

Don't suspected pedophiles usually get outed guilty or not by click hungry websites.

originally posted by: charlyv
Recalling the liquid mercury that was supposedly a fluid bearing in the telescope mechanism. The conjecture was it leaked, or was stolen.

Did any newer info come forward that included the mercury as part of this case?

Many had said it was not related to the mainline reason for the shut down, however I have trouble with coincidence, like many others here.

Why would anybody steal liquid Mercury? It's not cheap but it's an off the shelf item and there isn't a black market in it that I'm aware of.

Think about it guys. Where are observatories located, and what else would benefit from it.

a reply to: Zaphod58

At high elevations like atop mountains. Other benefits would be comms antennas/microwave line-of-sight, repeaters, and super telephoto lens camera gear. From Sunspot observatory it's line of sight down to Holloman AFB and White Sands.

a reply to: EndtheMadnessNow

It's not specific to there.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
Think about it guys. Where are observatories located, and what else would benefit from it.

Mountaintops. So someone was using their own equipment for something and had it plugged into Sunspot's network? I'm thinking someone put up their own cellular antenna or something they weren't supposed to do.

originally posted by: AaarghZombies

originally posted by: charlyv
Recalling the liquid mercury that was supposedly a fluid bearing in the telescope mechanism. The conjecture was it leaked, or was stolen.

Did any newer info come forward that included the mercury as part of this case?

Many had said it was not related to the mainline reason for the shut down, however I have trouble with coincidence, like many others here.

Why would anybody steal liquid Mercury? It's not cheap but it's an off the shelf item and there isn't a black market in it that I'm aware of.

It is suggested that it would be near impossible to obtain that QUANTITY of mercury at one time, today. That is a hell of a lot of mercury. The conjecture would be... what else could be done with that much mercury, if it is even a factor in this story at all.

a reply to: TheGoondockSaint

It's not specific just to this location.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Are you saying that there could be more than one incident but are related?
Or, since mountain tops are not relevant, then a geologic reason, as in what is the stratographic profile under-which the observatory sits, since it does go down quite deep into the rock.

I do not want to intrude into what you said about a trust you have with someone or some thing...

But this thing is a huge mystery that is just dead-ended for lack of options.

a reply to: charlyv

I'm saying that what sparked this is not just located at this particular location.

Interesting update on this story....

Joshua Lee Cope, the janitor arrested with child porn, has been indicted.

www.recordpatriot.com...

What is more interesting to me is this quote from the story:

The search warrant filed in federal court in Las Cruces said the facility’s chief observer, who was not identified, told FBI agent he found a laptop computer with child pornography several months earlier but did not immediately report the discovery to authorities because he was “distracted” by an unspecified urgent issue at the observatory.

Now what type of urgent issue would cause the chief observer to put child porn to the side, for several months?

Had to be something a LOT bigger than just Cope's threat to the facility to bring the response it did.

a reply to: Zaphod58

If it was supposed to be a mundane event then could it have possibly been a raid training exercise for a future similar raid?

"What" else would benefit from "it". Assuming "it" references the "where" in your sentence then remote locations at higher elevations are excellent listening / covert observation posts. They also make for command and control of a localized area but the FBI does not conduct militarized operations so this one doesn't make sense.

Were we conducting a training exercise and someone screwed up with the logistics and basic cover story?

a reply to: Type1338

It was supposed to be a routine move of something that went sideways. And then instead of just brushing it off, they doubled down and made it far worse.

a reply to: Baddogma

No criminal charges were filed, according to the link above, the Alamogordo local paper. So its a very thin excuse.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Nyiah

You're welcome to try, but it will take a miracle TBH.

Something along the lines of the telescope/observatory was able to rotate as it 'floated' on a type of liquid mercury that's pretty much harmless to humans was confused with the hazardous kind so the material was conviscated/taken into government care (due to a leak or some rennovations?)

I have a vague memory of something along those lines seeming one of the more plausible explanations but had completely forgotten about the event before this thread so probably wrong.

originally posted by: Zadiel74
I think the observatories proximity to White Sands is likely related to the events.

Maybe something needed to be tested at White Sands that they didnt want people to see.

They would have to evacuate waaay more than Sunspot. Cloudcroft and Ruiodoso are small but there are 10k people in that near area. Its a huge recreational area as well. There is a horseracing track. White Sands is also located near Las Cruces, Socorro, Albuquerque. All cities now. The base is vast, however, and much has been tested there with little notice by the locals, other than an abundance of UFO sightings.

I grew up there. Father worked at White Sands.

a reply to: Zaphod58

So here's an idea and please tell me if I am close to the target or directly over it or see nothing but cold spots.

The only thing I can think of that would be highly classified at an observatory is information. Sure some of the tech and equipment is valuable but it's difficult to walk out with large pieces of an observatory and not be noticed.

So the FBI was going to move sensitive and potentially classified information off the location because they discovered a security breach by an individual(s). This would also explain why they shut down and searched the post office.

Perhaps this individual was discovered to be a foreign agent or working on behalf of a foreign adversary so they created a ridiculous pedo cover story to justify why they confiscated a laptop (allegedly).

Or perhaps there WAS a highly classified piece of equipment in operation there that the general staff knew nothing about. Hide in plain sight type scenario.

a reply to: Type1338

Right track, wrong people.