帕洛玛天文台与最近的加州大火

Palomar 天文台因为最近的加州森林大火的肆虐已经关闭。下面的 google地图显示了天文台（绿色箭头）和最近的火点（红褐色区域）位置示意（不到5公里）

真希望帕洛玛天文台没事，千万别出事！

想起前几年的澳大利亚Mount Stromlo Observatory的悲剧就让人觉得惋惜和遗憾。



现在好像是TMT望远镜选址的最后阶段了，我猜此事可能会对墨西哥的下加利福尼亚的候选台址的竞争力有不利影响，毕竟在夏威夷和智利就不用担心这种事了。

再传上一张帕洛玛天文台周边的火场的地图。是07年10月26日的。

[ 本帖最后由 gxyzd1 于 2007-10-27 19:26 编辑 ]

再发地图链接：
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=114250687465160386813.00043d08ac31fe3357571&ie=UTF8&ll=33.348885,-116.886978&spn=0.291379,0.692139&z=11&om=1

可以获取最新信息的网址：http://sdfires.pbwiki.com/    （国内可能要用proxy）

看到最新的报告，帕洛玛山及周边的大火已经有50％得到控制。

最新消息：65%已得到控制。

再转一条美国海军陆战队网站的消息  http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/m ... 0C605E?opendocument      （国内可能要用proxy）

MWSS-373 teams up with CAL FIRE
Submitted by:  
        MCAS Miramar
Story by:  
        Computed Name: Cpl. Brandon L. Roach
Story Identification #:  
        20071029211511



Palomar Mountain Observatory, San Diego(Oct. 29, 2007) -- As Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallions flew through the air fighting the devastating wildfires of San Diego last week, a handful of wing Marines assisted state and federal firefighters battling blazes on the ground.

Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing lent a hand to the California Department of Forestry and Fire (CAL FIRE) today, creating fire breaks around the Palomar Mountain Observatory.

The 36 Marines, stationed aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., worked with their firefighting counterparts to save the area from the wildfires burning through Southern California.

“The observatory is a very important site for the astronomical industry here,” said David Jansen, a forestry assistant for CAL FIRE. “At this time the fire is not a threat, but we are creating a fuel break around the exterior, making a safe zone in case the fire does come over this direction.”

With no known record of any fires in the area for more than 100 years, CAL FIRE officials deemed the spot dangerously susceptible to fire and in need of clearing.

The 150 foot fuel break is sufficient to keep this brush from burning, according to Jansen.

With 19 pieces of heavy equipment from humvees to giant earth-moving bulldozers on the mountain, the Marines plowed earth, trees and shrub assuring that the observatory would have a safe fuel break to slow down an oncoming fire.

“It’s great to see that civilian and military agencies can work together to contain a fire and properly handle a natural disaster,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Avila, staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the project. “We don’t always have an opportunity to move earth while in the rear so this provides us with training and an opportunity to help San Diego out.”

Upon completion of the operation, the Marines of MWSS-373 will return to the air station and prepare for their upcoming deployment to the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.

“The Marines helping us is a very big deal," said Jansen. "We have been getting things done quickly that we have tried getting done for a long time. The outfit we are working with is cooperating and doing a great job. They are asking what to do and getting the job done. We are very thankful for their help.”

As the weather breaks and the flames and smoke clear, the Marines and sailors in the ground and aviation units of 3rd MAW continue to stand side-by-side with the men and women who dedicate their lives to fighting wildfires.

圣迭哥县最后未完全控制的两处火场：
San Diego County
Witch Fire – 197,990 acres – 99% contained
Poomacha Fire – 49,540 acres – 70% contained

San Diego County
Poomacha Fire – 50,156 acres – 85% contained

San Diego County
Poomacha Fire – 49,410 acres – 90% contained

不管怎样，天文台肯定受到了影响。

引用: 水沙二 在文中说道:
不管怎样，天文台肯定受到了影响。

我看新闻上说，山火的烟尘会对望远镜的玻璃有不利影响，其他的我就不知道了。

In the Fires' Wake

                               
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Not as bad as it looks! Smoke from the devastating Poomacha wildfire towers above the 200-inch telescope's dome on Palomar Mountain and (foreground) the Palomar Testbed Interferometer. Click on the image for an enlarged view
Robert Thicksten


Last week, as devastating wildfires engulfed many locales in Southern California, we scrambled to find out how astronomical facilities in the area were affected.

First on our list was Palomar Observatory, which is about 40 miles north of San Diego. The Poomacha Fire, which began on October 23rd and scorched more than 50,000 acres and 140 homes, came within two miles or so of the summit before being tamed.

"One observatory employee lost his home due to fire in the valley below Palomar," reports Scott Kardel, the observatory's public-affairs coordinator. Residents of the mountain (including Kardel's family) had been evacuated early on the 23rd.

According to Caltech spokesperson Jill Perry, the historic 200-inch Hale Telescope and other instruments there were unharmed. In fact, Perry says, "Firefighters utilized the entire observatory as a rest area and staging area for attacking the fire." The observatory provided water from its own 1-million-gallon water tank for fire units operating in the nearby community, she told Sky & Telescope, and an on-site generator gave firefighters access to the water even though power was out on the rest of the mountain.

                               
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Firefighters (at lower left) catch some sleep next to the Cassegrain cage of the 200-inch Hale Telescope on Palomar Mountain. The scene was captured by one of the observatory's security cameras. Click on the image for a larger view.
Scott Kardel / Caltech


Some exhausted firefighters even used the observing floor of the famed 200-inch telescope to grab a few hours of much-needed sleep!

The road to the summit has since reopened, and the observatory is again welcoming the public for visits. However, ash in the general vicinity will likely keep the domes closed for another week or two.

Meanwhile, dark-sky sites for the Orange County Astronomers — one of the largest amateur clubs anywhere (800 members) — also escaped damage. According to OCA trustee Steve Short, the only real consequence is that this weekend's star party at the Black Star Canyon area had to be canceled. The club's observatory near the town of Anza, 13 miles northeast of Palomar Mountain, escaped unscathed.

真是可惜啊~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

希望一切还好......@_@

我星图就是在那买的....