San Juan, December 1: A huge radio telescope in Puerto Rico that has long played a key role in astronomical discoveries collapsed on Tuesday, officials said.

The Arecibo Observatory had been shuttered since August after an auxiliary cable snapped and caused a 100-foot gash on the reflector dish. Then a main cable broke in early November, leading the National Science Foundation to declare just weeks later that it planned to close the radio telescope because the damage was too great. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Pfizer And BioNTech Seek EU Approval for Coronavirus Vaccine.

World's Second Largest Radio Telescope

Many scientists and Puerto Ricans mourned the news, with some tearing up during interviews. Also Read | China Exposed: Country Under Reported COVID-19 Cases Discloses a Leaked Report.

It is the second largest radio telescope in the world and had been operating for more than half a century.

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