Stanford Dish Rescue
Many of you know that I've been involved in the Seti@Home project(searching for ET) for a while, and am also now involved in the Einstein@Home project(searching for pulsars).
In both cases, it is radio-astronomy equipment that makes those projects possible. I urge you to consider signing the online petition to preserve the (5) 60' dishes currently at Stanford. The site has been scheduled for demolition!! Friends of Bracewell Observatory wish to save this facility to help promote a "teaching observatory" for both students and the community. This can be a very valuable resource to the radio-astronomy community.
I ask you, please, to consider at least signing the petition and voicing your support.
Thank you,
Rich
*** UPDATE ***
The following email is a reprint(with permission) from Bob Lash, President of Friends of the Bracewell Observatory Association. Bold/underline emphasis is mine. - Rich
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bob Lash
> Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 4:12 AM
> Subject: Update on Bracewell Observatory Rescue Effort -- Wed 8/17 1:10 AM
>
>
> To all rescue effort supporters,
>
> Demolition continues to be delayed. The Santa Clara County Planning Office
> has received an application for a demolition permit by Stanford, and will begin
> the environmental/historical review process to determine if a permit should be
> issued or not.
>
> In the meantime we have collected 477 signatures on the petition to date
> (thank you for your support!!), and a printed copy including all
> signatures and submitted comments is being sent by Fed Ex to President
> Hennessy (along with an update letter and meeting request) for Thursday
> morning delivery. Please keep spreading the word about the petition! We
> will keep Stanford and the media updated on our progress!
>
> The rescue effort has received a lot of media coverage this past week,
> with articles appearing in the San Jose Mercury News (Aug 11 and Aug 12),
> the Palo Alto Daily News (Aug 12), and the San Francisco Chronicle Sunday
> Edition (Aug 14). I was just interviewed again by the San Jose Mercury,
> which will run another article in the next few days, as well as the
> Stanford Daily.
>
> Of special note is a letter to the editor by Author E. Charette which
> appeared in the Monday (Aug 15) edition of the San Jose Mercury News,
> which I reprint below:
>
> * * *
>
> "Why demolish astrophysics lab?
>
> I was dismayed and terribly disappointed to note in the Mercury News (Page
> 5A, Aug. 11) that the renowned astrophysics laboratory known as Site 515,
> and labeled on the Mercury's diagram as Bracewell Observatory, is to be
> demolished.
>
> As a former principal and major-gift fundraiser at Stanford, I can assure
> you that some of the donors to the university are equally amazed. The
> public reaction to this hasty decision might be expected to resemble what
> would ensue if the hiking trail up to the big dish were closed to the
> public. To destroy this superb and useful educational facility and turn it
> into a nature preserve that serves no academic purpose seems like a huge
> bureaucratic blunder."
>
> - Author E. Charette, Associate Director of Development, Emeritus, Stanford University
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Bob
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Bob Lash, M.D.
> President
> Friends of the Bracewell Observatory Association
> Past Director, SARA
Again, thank you to all who have signed the petition thus far and I kindly ask you to continue to spread the word!
Appreciatively,
Rich
Many of you know that I've been involved in the Seti@Home project(searching for ET) for a while, and am also now involved in the Einstein@Home project(searching for pulsars).
In both cases, it is radio-astronomy equipment that makes those projects possible. I urge you to consider signing the online petition to preserve the (5) 60' dishes currently at Stanford. The site has been scheduled for demolition!! Friends of Bracewell Observatory wish to save this facility to help promote a "teaching observatory" for both students and the community. This can be a very valuable resource to the radio-astronomy community.
I ask you, please, to consider at least signing the petition and voicing your support.
Thank you,
Rich
*** UPDATE ***
The following email is a reprint(with permission) from Bob Lash, President of Friends of the Bracewell Observatory Association. Bold/underline emphasis is mine. - Rich
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bob Lash
> Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 4:12 AM
> Subject: Update on Bracewell Observatory Rescue Effort -- Wed 8/17 1:10 AM
>
>
> To all rescue effort supporters,
>
> Demolition continues to be delayed. The Santa Clara County Planning Office
> has received an application for a demolition permit by Stanford, and will begin
> the environmental/historical review process to determine if a permit should be
> issued or not.
>
> In the meantime we have collected 477 signatures on the petition to date
> (thank you for your support!!), and a printed copy including all
> signatures and submitted comments is being sent by Fed Ex to President
> Hennessy (along with an update letter and meeting request) for Thursday
> morning delivery. Please keep spreading the word about the petition! We
> will keep Stanford and the media updated on our progress!
>
> The rescue effort has received a lot of media coverage this past week,
> with articles appearing in the San Jose Mercury News (Aug 11 and Aug 12),
> the Palo Alto Daily News (Aug 12), and the San Francisco Chronicle Sunday
> Edition (Aug 14). I was just interviewed again by the San Jose Mercury,
> which will run another article in the next few days, as well as the
> Stanford Daily.
>
> Of special note is a letter to the editor by Author E. Charette which
> appeared in the Monday (Aug 15) edition of the San Jose Mercury News,
> which I reprint below:
>
> * * *
>
> "Why demolish astrophysics lab?
>
> I was dismayed and terribly disappointed to note in the Mercury News (Page
> 5A, Aug. 11) that the renowned astrophysics laboratory known as Site 515,
> and labeled on the Mercury's diagram as Bracewell Observatory, is to be
> demolished.
>
> As a former principal and major-gift fundraiser at Stanford, I can assure
> you that some of the donors to the university are equally amazed. The
> public reaction to this hasty decision might be expected to resemble what
> would ensue if the hiking trail up to the big dish were closed to the
> public. To destroy this superb and useful educational facility and turn it
> into a nature preserve that serves no academic purpose seems like a huge
> bureaucratic blunder."
>
> - Author E. Charette, Associate Director of Development, Emeritus, Stanford University
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Bob
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Bob Lash, M.D.
> President
> Friends of the Bracewell Observatory Association
> Past Director, SARA
Again, thank you to all who have signed the petition thus far and I kindly ask you to continue to spread the word!
Appreciatively,
Rich