The Arecibo Observatory

The Arecibo radar and radio telescope stands on a triangular platform as it hovers 220 m above the ground. The spherical dish resides in a natural sink hole, one of the largest in Puerto Rico. This platform is the focal point of an isolated scientific outpost where staff and students ply their trade. The Arecibo Observatory is a US national laboratory managed by Cornell University (New York) through a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). The bulk of the astronomy work done focuses on stellar evolution, galaxy formation, and pulsars.