# Sunspot Observatory Demolished

**URL:** <https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/sunspot-observatory-demolished/1782>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [September 11, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/sunspot-observatory-demolished/1782 "2026-09-11T22:40:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CatsPaw](https://discourse.okcastro.club/user_avatar/discourse.okcastro.club/catspaw/32/474_2.png) [@CatsPaw](https://discourse.okcastro.club/u/CatsPaw)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/sunspot-observatory-demolished/1782/1 "2026-09-11T22:40:23Z")

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This news is a bit old, but the National Science Foundation has decided to demolish the Sunspot Observatory in New Mexico because its unique mercury bearing started leaking.

[KOA4 News](https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/southeast-new-mexico/sunspot-solar-observatory-to-be-permanently-closed-demolished/)

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**Author:** ![Mitche](https://discourse.okcastro.club/user_avatar/discourse.okcastro.club/mitche/32/61_2.png) [@Mitche](https://discourse.okcastro.club/u/Mitche)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2026, 2:12am UTC](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/sunspot-observatory-demolished/1782/2 "2026-09-12T02:12:56Z")

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😳

Do you remember when we used to roll mercury around in the palms of our hands in science class?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CatsPaw](https://discourse.okcastro.club/user_avatar/discourse.okcastro.club/catspaw/32/474_2.png) [@CatsPaw](https://discourse.okcastro.club/u/CatsPaw)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/sunspot-observatory-demolished/1782/3 "2026-09-13T00:00:49Z")

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I think it is like Arecibo, the bean counters decided that letting it die is more cost effective than repairing it.

Changing times! It used to be pretty easy to buy 5 lb of mercury, but those days are gone. Sextants needed a horizon mirror when used on land. If you were sure-fingered, you could float a mirror on water; but floating a piece of glass on mercury was a whole lot easier.