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With the platform gone, Arecibo looks very different

An aerial view of the Arecibo Observatory after the collapse on December 1, 2020.
An aerial view of the Arecibo Observatory after the collapse on December 1, 2020. Image: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images (Getty Images)

The full extent of the damage is still being assessed. The area continues to be off limits to unauthorized personnel, while engineers are evaluating the stability of the remaining structures, such as the LIDAR facility used to study the upper atmosphere. Recovery teams are also currently working to mitigate potential environmental damage caused by the collapse. Here’s how the facility looked in 2019, before this year’s cable failures:

Arecibo Observatory in spring 2019, before the cable failures and collapse.
Arecibo Observatory in spring 2019, before the cable failures and collapse. Photo: UCF Today