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Author Topic: New Mexico: National Solar Observatory Closed, Evacuated Due to “Security Issue”  (Read 4023 times)

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Offline Geremia

Re: New Mexico: National Solar Observatory Closed, Evacuated Due to “Security Issue”
« Reply #15 on: September 14, 2018, 11:32:10 PM »
Quote from: forlorn on September 14, 2018, 02:24:18 PM
Are the other major Solar Observatories still open?
Yes, National Solar Observatory has a solar observatory on Kitt Peak, Arizona (McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope), similar to the New Mexico one.
Quote from: forlorn on September 14, 2018, 02:24:18 PM
I've heard rumours they might be trying to cover-up the signs of another Carrington Event.
That's probably the best explanation so far.
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Offline Neil Obstat

Re: New Mexico: National Solar Observatory Closed, Evacuated Due to “Security Issue”
« Reply #16 on: September 14, 2018, 11:43:50 PM »
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ABC News throws hat into the ring:
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https://abcnews.go.com/US/conspiracy-theories-float-evacuated-mexico-observatory-roswell/story?id=57801213
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Mystery surrounds solar observatory evacuated near Roswell, New Mexico
  • By ABIGAIL SHALAWYLO
Sep 13, 2018, 4:32 PM ET


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A mysterious solar observatory evacuation in remote New Mexico is sparking an array of conspiracy theories ranging from alien sightings to foreign spies.
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The Sunspot Solar Observatory was unexpectedly closed down and evacuated without publicly stated reason last Thursday -- and a week later, nobody seems to know why.
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National Solar Observatory, Sacramento Peak, New Mexico, 2009.

While local law enforcement was requested at the scene in the town of Sunspot, they said they were left in the dark. Benny House of the Otero County Sheriff’s Office told ABC News that employees from the observatory called his team in around 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 6. He said the team stood by for a few hours while employees evacuated, but the security issue remained a secret.
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"They were tight-lipped about what was going on, no one would tell us what the threat was," House said, and confirmed the FBI had been there.
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A post office nearby was also evacuated. An official from the United States Postal Service told ABC affiliate KVIA in El Paso, Texas, that he did not know who ordered the postal workers to leave.
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The observatory is run by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, or AURA, which released a statement about the "security" incident.
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"AURA is addressing a security issue at the National Solar Observatory facility at Sacramento Peak, New Mexico and has decided to temporarily vacate the facility as a precautionary measure," Shari Lifson, AURA Corporate Communications Coordinator, said in a statement to ABC News. Lifson said AURA is working with authorities on the issue, but did not offer further information.
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Since last week’s evacuation, the Sunspot Observatory website has also posted a notice:
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"On Thursday September 6th, AURA made the decision to temporarily close Sunspot. The Sunspot Solar Observatory continues to work closely with AURA in order to allow for us to reopen as soon as possible. With the excitement this closure has generated, we hope you will come and visit us when we do reopen, and see for yourself the services we provide for science and public outreach in heliophysics."
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The lack of explanation left plenty of room for the internet to speculate and cօռspιʀαcιҽs to emerge.
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ABC provides a link to the Popular Mechanics article:
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An observatory in New Mexico has been unexpectedly closed due to an unnamed "security issue," prompting evacuations and a visit from the FBI. The Sunspot Observatory is now currently closed to both staff and the public, with no word on why or when it will be open again.
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“We have decided to vacate the facility at this time as precautionary measure,” said spokesperson Shari Lifson to the Alomogordo Daily News. “The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy who manages the facility is addressing a security issue at this time.”
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Lifson said that the facility was first evacuated on September 6 and has remained closed since then. According to Lifson, the observatory has no date for reopening yet.
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As part of the investigation into the security issue, the observatory has contacted the FBI, which has been reported on the scene with multiple agents and a Blackhawk helicopter. According to local sheriff Benny House, the agency has been working with local law enforcement but refuses to share any details.
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“The FBI is refusing to tell us what’s going on,” said House. “We’ve got people up there that requested us to standby while they evacuate it. Nobody would really elaborate on any of the circuмstances as to why.”
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The sheriff speculated that the evacuation could be due to some kind of threat made against the facility or its staff, but expressed confusion as to why local police would be left out of the loop. “If that’s the case, why didn’t they call us and let us deal with it?” he said. “I don’t know why the FBI would get involved so quick and not tell us anything.”
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Another possibility could be some sort of hazardous chemical leak or other natural danger, but again there’s no reason for the FBI to keep everyone in the dark. Whatever the reason, the scientists are forced to postpone their research while the FBI’s investigation continues.
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Source: Alomogordo Daily News
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Offline Neil Obstat

Re: New Mexico: National Solar Observatory Closed, Evacuated Due to “Security Issue”
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2018, 02:55:57 AM »
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1-hour video from two days ago, Sunday 9-16-2018, with 65,732 views and 819 comments, 1.1K likes:
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Not only was the local Sheriff told his services were not needed, but the Sheriff himself (and deputies) were evacuated.
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Specific residents and workers in the area were evacuated and specific others were allowed by the FBI to remain in Sunspot.
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A news conference led by an unidentified entity is promised for later this week (as of Sunday).
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Offline Maria Regina

Re: New Mexico: National Solar Observatory Closed, Evacuated Due to “Security Issue”
« Reply #18 on: September 19, 2018, 09:19:29 PM »
https://drudgenow.com/article/?n=0&s=2&c=1&pn=Anonymous&u=https://www.ktsm.com/news/local/el-paso-news/child-pornography-reason-behind-sunspot-observatory-closure-according-to-court-docuмents/1460386237

Could this be the real answer that the Janitor did the dastardly deed.


Quote
A federal search warrant reveals that Sunspot Solar Observatory was shut down as FBI agents conducted computer forensic searches for child pornography.

The source of child pornography was traced to an IP address used at the observatory and a source within the building observed a computer with "not good" images on it, the warrant states.

An investigation by the FBI revealed that a janitor is the main suspect in the search, however he has not been charged with a crime even though his name in on the warrant.

The warrant states the suspect would use the observatory Wifi and a personal laptop to download the child pornography.

A limited number of people have access to the observatory from dusk until dawn, which helped narrow their search.

The observatory in the mountains of southern New Mexico had been closed since Sept. 6 because of an undisclosed security concern, but reopened on Monday.

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Offline Geremia

Re: New Mexico: National Solar Observatory Closed, Evacuated Due to “Security Issue”
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2018, 09:54:33 AM »
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