Malicious attack on $5 million dollar telescope. Scientists don’t care.

Shot 7 times, yet the Harlan J Smith telescope at the McDonald Observatory still had 99% functionality. How?! Pre-order a copy of the Astrum Book Incredible Universe: The Solar System astrumspace.in...
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Credits
Writer: Jon McColgan
Editor: Nathalia Gardin
Thumbnail Designer: Peter Sheppard
Producer: Alex McColgan/ Raquel Taylor
NASA/ESO/ESA
Thanks to:
McDonald Observatory
#Astrum #Astronomy #Space #telescopes #observatory #scienceandtechnology

[@astrumspace]

Pre-order a copy of the Astrum Book Incredible Universe: The Solar System astrumspace.info/3MeH3aj And a huge thanks to our Patreons who help make these videos possible. It’s not too late to become one of the first 1000 Astrumnauts - Sign-up here: bit.ly/4aiJZNF

[@mrchaos239]

Hey small correction: Fort Davis* not David. It seems to have only been in the beginning for some reason. I love that place and love the observatory and balmorhea a bit further down the road

[@0ptic0p22]

so i live in india(will be moving to germany for my bachlrors) i got my beard in jan, and iv been shaving it since jan and idk how it started BY EVERY SINGLE TIME IV SHAVED, I HAD YOUR VIDEO RUNNING IN THE BACKGROUND like iv been watching this channel for 3 years, but its not such a part of my grooming routine its funny XD

[@TheRilluma]

it got destroyed because only smitshonian is alowed to take pictures and relics of ufo,giants, and other cryptids and aerial space phenomena. he was against that jewish organization that suppresses knowledge..

[@NoahCouch-l9d]

Do you think you could do a video on the Milky Way antimatter plume? I think it would be cool 😊

[@TheRilluma]

@@NoahCouch-l9d never heard of that. yes do that i need to know. we want truth, !

[@playin4k611]

I love how the attempted murder was a side note.

[@Tentacl]

Texas...

[@MrGerdbrecht]

Yeah probably just Texas.

[@NuisanceMan]

Well, in Texas, technically only shooting private property is actually illegal.

[@Tentacl]

@@NuisanceMan highly unlikely, you can shoot cop cars?

[@christopherg2347]

In Astronomy a "near miss" is usually hundreds of Kilometers. So I guess he missed by a lot?

[@jadegecko]

The Sheriff being horrified and thinking the mirror was destroyed _because of the central aperture_ was the funniest part for me

[@kamakaziozzie3038]

Hilarious!

[@z-beeblebrox]

It feels appropriate that the one astronomical telescope with bullet holes in its mirror is stationed in Texas.

[@bokiNYC]

😂😂😂

[@ruslankazimov622]

and it was one of the biggest telescopes!

[@randydewees7338]

Yes, it's Texas. But not. Way over by New Mexico in some of the only mountains in the state. It's an odd place compared to "Texas".

[@brianSalem541]

2nd amendment right of self-defense against hostile threatening telescopes.

[@johnmat4678]

See your point. Imagine if it was in an inner city cesspool like Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta, LA. Shall I go on?

[@Squeesher]

"Did you ever hear the story of how the Harlan J. Smith Telescope got shot seven times?" No? I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you.

[@TheSoulEcstatic]

I am actually giggling. Thank you so much for making this comment.

[@Squeesher]

@@TheSoulEcstatic You're very welcome :) It just popped into my head the instant I heard Alex say the initial bit right at the start. I had thought he was going to make the joke himself, because it almost seems like you can hear him smiling, so I was expecting a joke.

[@ishan_singh]

This made my day

[@brewswillas6635]

I know that explaining the joke ruins it, but could someone ruin it for me?

[@Squeesher]

@@brewswillas6635 The part in quotes is one of the first things said in this video. The 2nd part is the latter half of a popular Star Wars meme "The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise". My brain combined them. I didn't really expect it to take off 😅

[@benjamintoro4129]

I used to live at that observatory as a kid. Working there one summer in the 1990s I helped resurface that mirror.

[@smashingintoyou]

Awesome!

[@michaeldavidfigures9842]

How did you get to do that? Were you a student working on a scholarship?

[@karenmartinez8176]

That must have been so fascinating, I'm green with envy.

[@Keithustus]

@@michaeldavidfigures9842 or could be a child of staff

[@jimmirow]

That's amazing. Lucky you!

[@genegray9895]

The seemingly helpless delicate telescope mirror turning out to be bulletproof and just casually shrugging off the entire attack has serious JoJo energy.

[@drakkondarkspell]

"You can't kill me in any ways that matter."

[@ashtonmiller-z1n]

well its bescue it a huge glass mirror so big that it geting shot with a small cabler pistol would be exactly like a sinlge micro mettior hiting one of the mirrors on the james web telelcope. its just bascly like a simple small thing that world have happend over time anyway from ware and tear anyway. so it realy didn't matter in the grand scale of its whole life time of use bascly.

[@ABa-os6wm]

So you say, getting shot in texas is just normal wear and tear?

[@buildercat2539]

The fact that we spend half a billion to make sci fi flicks and actual sciences have to sweat a few mil is mind boggling. 🤔😹

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

NASA budget.. 2 $billion. A small percentage of that is space science dedicated. SpaceX, Elon's military satellite surveillance system budget... Infinity 💸.

[@namessuckeh]

Movies make money and science doesn't. It's not that complicated

[@A-Milkdromeda-Laniakea-Hominid]

It is mind boggling. Until you factor in what if many people would cough up $20 to see the images from the scope... instead we get to see for free.

[@mtb416]

@@outlawbillionairez9780NASA’s budget is far more than two billion. A simple google search would tell you it’s 25 billion.

[@ggor06]

Perspective i never thought of

[@Microtonal_Cats]

This is why Krieger, the scientist on the animated show Archer, carries a pistol in his lab coat. To protect important equipment from lunatics.

[@belialofeden]

And man pig hybrids 😂

[@williamchamberlain2263]

He is the most scientist

[@austinlockwood8818]

His holographic anime wife was destroyed in the first season. Was that when he learned this lesson?

[@echo-channel77]

"animated show"

[@clauslangenbroek9897]

@echo-channel77 What's wrong with "animated show?" I'm not a native speaker, so I'm interested to know 😊

[@Oliver-rw4up]

Alex, I may not be the only one who experiences this. I had to call my bank to let the payment for your book go through. Seems Astrum's website is not a bank's recognized seller, and it gets flagged from US banks as potential card fraud. To all wanting to buy the book, there's an easy fix if this happens to you. Just call your bank and have them unblock it for a few hours so your card can go through. Thank you Astrum, the publisher, and Alex for such a book. Keep it up, I genuinely enjoy the work you put together for us!

[@astrumspace]

Thanks for the heads up, this is the first time using this platform for us, so there are definitely going to be some teething problems, but glad you got that sorted!

[@Steinkonig-yz6xc]

​@@astrumspace I'll have to get that book both your channel and fall of civilizations, are two of my favorites, I used to watch the history channel and discovery channel 24/7 as kid but the last 10-12 years, it's just unwatchable, ancient aliens and reality shows, it's a shame but content creators like you are taking the charge of educating people on the beauty and destructive force of the universe, you're appreciated 🙂🪐✨

[@Terry-f6f]

Paypal didn't flag it for me. But nice of you to let everyone know. :D

[@i_got_worms7106]

​@@astrumspacejust accept Bitcoin. Problem solved.

[@Fourtune1]

Thank you

[@AceSpadeThePikachu]

The guy's name was "Jack Hyde." It sounds like a cheesy mystery novel. Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.

[@JoeyGee1000]

He certainly became a Mr. Hyde.

[@fisheye42]

Not to mention the mirror horror of The Shining: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

[@el_polloloco6247]

Bro had beef with a telescope 💀☠️

[@FigsForYou]

Underrated comment.

[@navb0tactual]

*and lost

[@FreejackVesa]

Inmate 1: What you in for? Inmate 2: Aggravated Astronomy

[@user-ue6if1zo9j]

😂😂

[@johnpatrickmatthewsmusic]

I felt like that on my telescope a few nights when it just wouldn't cooperate. Luckily I wasn't armed.

[@ErionDelta]

I love how this guy sounds like he's trying to hold back laughter near the start of the video. It's almost like he's trying to not break at the absolute absurdity of it all. EDIT: man this doin' numbers

[@nfearnley]

He sounds like that in over half his videos. You can always hear the half-hidden grin.

[@remusracingro3884]

You're right :)

[@manemisdonmalasnemissalata6324]

Lmao you ruined my watch, lmaooooo

[@asa9528]

@@nfearnleyone of my favorite things about listening to his videos

[@astrumrimor2450]

That’s how he always sounds.

[@Chiberia]

creating fused silica glass is no joke - the chemicals behind it _really_ don't like the human body. they tend to make glass anywhere there's water - like your eyes, lungs, other places you generally don't want micro-glass fragments to be. creating a mirror that large must have been puckering.

[@Urduhkhan]

For YEARRRRS

[@GlutenEruption]

What chemicals? Fused silica is made by fusing high purity silica in an oxygen-hydrogen, plasma, or other high temperature flame or furnace. No chemicals are used.

[@SINDRIKARL1]

@@GlutenEruption no chemicals used? What do you think silica, oxygen and hydrogen are?

[@GlutenEruption]

@@SINDRIKARL1 🙄😑 I feel like you're intentionally misconstruing my comment. The OP said that manufacturing fused silica uses chemicals that turn to glass on contact with water including in your lungs etc. The raw feedstock (ie sand) and the fuel and oxidizer used to heat it are obviously not what was being talked about: it doesn't need to be explained that the chemical silica is used to make fused silica and the choice of fuel and oxidizer to heat it to melting don't matter nor do they contribute to the process. "Chemicals" in context clearly implied one or more extremely volatile and hazardous reagents which react to create fused silica whereas fused silica is made by simply heating silica to ~2200c - it doesn't require oxygen & hydrogen, it can be done in an electric furnace, induction furnace, plasma furnace, etc, and it doesn't require a chemical reaction (in fact it's often melted in a vacuum or inert atmosphere specifically to prevent any reactions), it simply requires a phase change and crystallization of the raw material

[@Inferryu]

@@SINDRIKARL1 You know what's being talked about, nobody likes a smart ass.

[@geefreck]

Jack Hyde: I have dual wielding skill with melee and hitscan weapons Telescope: "Bring it"

[@VoltisArt]

"I have an army." "I have dense atomic bonds."

[@medea27]

Hyde rolled a 1 on his Perception check & a 2 for Accuracy... meanwhile the DM rolled an 18 for the telescope's Resistance to Damage & a 20 for Constitution.

[@neilaxe4388]

Am I the only person who has come here to complain that Alex promised us seven shots and only gave us three 0:14 DO YOU THINK WE CAN'T COUNT!!!🤨

[@themarlboromandalorian]

Yes, it displeases my autism.

[@Mionwang]

I want a formal apology

[@ian5395]

He's reloading his revolver musket

[@Josh_Fredman]

I noticed the same thing! Luckily, he managed to save it near the end when pointing out that only three of the bullet impacts were actually detrimental to the mirror's light-gathering work.

[@realzachfluke1]

Hah, serves us right for thinking about comments prior to the video's end! ​@@Josh_Fredman

[@collectorguy3919]

Finally, THIS explains the long trend of bullet hole stickers on so many telescope mirrors.

[@mokka1115]

7:15 "This is not a clip. This is a magazine." -Charlie

[@Drakuba]

"tis just a scratch"

[@mattsadventureswithart5764]

Come back you coward!

[@Juttutin]

*but

[@augustvonmackensen9785]

Breaking that mirror would bring you at least a century of bad luck, and a bout of greasy cholera top it off..

[@ningayeti]

You might want to contact the Allegheny Observatory in Pittsburgh, Pa. They have to only telescope lense ever physically stolen for a planned ransom attempt (IIRC)

[@EShirako]

RANSOM, even! I've never heard of such a thing...then again, I've never heard about this one either. Astronomers are subtle! Or I'm reading the wrong journals, who knows. :D

[@gumotx]

There’s a reason his wife and kids split with him hundred of miles away…..

[@kellydalstok8900]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[@ajstevens1652]

Fr. They chose Nebraska just to get away from him...

[@piedpiper1172]

@@ajstevens1652Yeah, no one’s first choice is Nebraska. You gotta really motivate people into wanting to be far away from you to get them moving there

[@geefreck]

Certainly possible. However, everyone has their own story. You won't know implicitly. The closest you can come is to get to know each of them, and learn in depth about their lives.

[@echo-channel77]

Or, maybe she was insane and in the process of destroying the family, she drove him into a crisis? His kids didn't exactly have a choice, courts automatically hand them to the mothers. A mother would have to be committing something on par with an active drug crime and theft before courts allow father's custody.

[@milodemoray]

Alex, I have to say that thumbnail quote should really not say, "damaged beyond repair." This sounds like a clickbait title.

[@zackschumann5521]

It is, and is the reason I am unsubscribing. Shame really, but I don't tolerate that nonsense from any channel.

[@milodemoray]

@@zackschumann5521 The worst thing is that it is not the first time I've seen titles on Astrum's thumbnails that look like this. The worst thing is they aren't even necessary.

[@ericsmith6394]

The mirror really was damaged beyond their ability to repair it for any reasonable amount of money or effort, but as most people read "damaged beyond repair" to mean "permanently broken and unusable" I'd still say it smells of clickbait.

[@milodemoray]

@ericsmith6394 Technically, the blurb was correct. I did watch the video, and I know the reported figures of the damage, but this is not the first time I've seen similar blurbs, and they all stink of clickbait. I can't believe Alex is allowing this. With how serious he is about this subject, I feel he is allowing his passion to be demeaned by such poor work.

[@rob5435354]

Well I mean the sheriff's office did call the telescope "damaged beyond repair". Maybe quotation marks would solve your issue...

[@Xaerorazor0]

After working at an observatory for now 16 years, being alone is a perk of the job, the mental health portion is so important. Not having his spouse and children can press hard on a person. And yes I knew this story from professors/coworkers that were at UT. I think I may be able to see if I can find that report at my office.

[@np153Garlix]

He tried to kill someone. They should have pressed charges. How irresponsible...

[@parajerry]

Surprised they didn't;t file attempted murder charges...that is up to the DA, not the victim. Perhaps the DA agreed that mental health treatment was acceptable and set the ground rules?

[@Robert_McGarry_Poems]

Hmm, mirror with bullet holes finds signs of exoplanets around every star... 😆 I'm just joking, but it writes itself.

[@tygical]

LMAO not sure if it works that way but that's funny

[@bokiNYC]

😂😂😂

[@thegoon1353]

actually got to see that one in person as a kid. They even let you look through some of the smaller telescopes they have on sight, although small is a relative term

[@BernhardtBauer]

Props to director Smith for being so understanding and forgiving!

[@britishrocklovingyank3491]

That's a rare and admirable dude. Much respect.

[@MichaelWinter-ss6lx]

Realy? Back in the day, mental health clinics were far more worse than you can imagine. And far worse than any jail.

[@BernhardtBauer]

@@MichaelWinter-ss6lx Are you implying director Smith was in fact knowingly acting in cruelty when he did not pursue criminal charges?

[@britishrocklovingyank3491]

@@MichaelWinter-ss6lx So he should have pressed charges and had him thrown in prison? We are discussing the director's individual action of doing the least harm he could to the man who tried to kill him.

[@TheJLF65]

@@Rubicola174 When you talk about the improvement of mental health care in the US in the 60's and 70's, you're talking about progressive states, not Texas. Ditto for prisons. You don't want to go to a mental health facility or prison anywhere in the US southwest - those places are still hell-holes to this very day.

[@sussekind9717]

Fascinating, that it's still trucking along after all these years. And on top of that, still has a life expectancy of another half a century.

[@SumBrennus]

The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory in Calgary, AB was shot at several times by hunters in its' history. My own telescope was stolen out of my observatory by vandals. The dome of my observatory was used for pigeon target practice for years by locals before I bought it. There are lots of bullet holes in the fiberglass shell. Princeton had an automated observatory that had people pouring beer into rain sensors to make the dome close for funsies. Most people don't even know what those mysterious buildings are and that regularly attracts conspiracy nutbars and some get so convinced it is nefarious they attack the building. I have literally had it happen to me.

[@coynegibson2389]

I fully empathize...

[@joepalmer1594]

Maybe the only "operational" telescope to be attacked, but the 200 inch Hale mirror was shipped cross country by train in 1936. The crate surrounding it was wood, but Corning required that the mirror blank be sandwiched between thick sheet steel to protect it. When the blank arrived in California it was discovered the shipping crate had be struck 4 times by bullets!

[@mysakus]

actually... Astronomical Observatory of Prague got some heavy hits at the end of WW2: "In May 1945, the observatory was badly damaged by bombardment of the retreating German troops. The main dome was damaged, as well as the tubes of some telescopes. Luckily, the valuable telescope objectives had been well hidden in time. Afterwards, everything was repaired."

[@fredwood1490]

Things like this used to happen at the US Post Office, (where the term "going Postal" comes from), caused by over work, caused by power lust of some senior Employees. You can stress a person just so far and then they snap, either striking back or running away, but be assured, they take it out on everybody around them. Somebody knew this guy was cracking and didn't know what to do about it. I'm glad he missed the Supervisor, (Possibly the stress causer, as he was singled out), I wonder what happened to Jack Hyde?

[@orppranator5230]

I thought it was because the post office has its own law enforcement, kinda like the FBI, but called Postal Inspectors.

[@j377yb33n]

it started from some kind of postal work safety legislation change wasn't it? less restrictions on working hours and cuts to funding from the 70's

[@rolandthethompsongunner64]

It’s up to the individual to deal with their own stress. If they’re that stressed then quit.

[@j377yb33n]

@@rolandthethompsongunner64 have you ever been in a situation where your job is actually destroying you, there's nothing else around and you can't afford to quit?

[@rolandthethompsongunner64]

@@j377yb33n I quit. I have and sure it cost me. But better than it destroying you.

[@Peter.L.Rodin.B]

i had 2 telescopes, and people stole the eyepieces ... now i don't have any

[@crakkbone]

What the fuck!?

[@Peter.L.Rodin.B]

@@crakkbone IKR

[@peterdermeter7044]

@@Peter.L.Rodin.B I mean up to a certain diameter they are the most valuable parts of amateur telescopes that can be easily moved and flipped for decent money. If i saw an amateur telescope out in the wild and ripe for the picking i´d propably take the eyepieces...and the CCD camera...and the laptop...and the tent and the wallet of the guy running it.

[@Peter.L.Rodin.B]

@@peterdermeter7044 I feel they took them more to spite me just so i wouldn't have a way to stargaze

[@Peter.L.Rodin.B]

@@peterdermeter7044 they may as well have taken the whole devices

[@PaulsPubAndBrew]

How did they have any choice of pressing charges or not? Forget the telescope, he fired at a human being. That's attempted murder. You can't just choose not to press charges on that?

[@coynegibson2389]

Far West Texas, especially in that era, operates under a different set of rules than even the rest of Texas. The Director and facility management, along with local law enforcement made a determination that best served all involved in the situation.

[@anthonycook6213]

The James Webb Space Telecope in fact suffered similar (bad looking but inconsequential) damage from meteroid imacts shortly after it was unfolded .

[@lnr12241]

It was reflecting a beam of light into his living room 12.5 light years away

[@jonathanheins8338]

What happened to the supervisor who was shot? Even if the bullet didn't injure him, the obvious traumatic experience surely did. And, even though the director didn't want to press charges, it's still a crime to assault Government's property.

[@justin8894]

He’s fine.

[@VoltisArt]

As said in the video, he was NOT shot, his clothing was. Not in the video is his mental state, so we have no info on that. Some people would be traumatized by having an unloaded nerf pistol pointed at them. Others would shrug off a .22 to the shoulder and tackle their assailant without even holding a long-term grudge. People are very different and we have no reason to assume any particular result is "obvious".

[@cfmcguire]

I don't know about Texas but in Montana, all you have to do is cause a reasonable apprehension of bodily injury to be guilty of felony assault.

[@Falc0n215]

My dad took us on a trip there when I was a kid. I remember the staff telling us about the bullet holes, and showed a photo. We got look through the viewfinder at the moon.

[@TroyRubert]

That’s the observatory Gerard Kuiper used.

[@namless3654]

No such thing as bullet proof. We only say bullet resistant in the industry

[@christopherg2347]

6:52 "That one bounced." 7:11 "We didn't penetrate the armor." And then it was a 1% efficiency drop.

[@glennac]

I guess the Dr Jeckle side of Mr Hyde was the more stable personality. 😅

[@catman8965]

There were multiple attacks on the Mt. Graham observatory construction site by Earth First. The Mt. Graham story is long. One day Earth First entered a radiation counting room - I threw him out.

[@TheCrossroads533]

Earth First is a terrorist organization.

[@IanM-id8or]

Don't know about you, but I'd have taken his name as a red flag ;-) What id Dr Jekyll have to say about the incident?

[@whitebeardskydaddy6756]

I've seen you here and there over the years, and really appreciate your gentle way of presenting your stories and information. This one is particularly interesting. It sort of puts the current surplus of mental health and illness into focus, to play on the theme of lenses. You might be aware, there is a pop-"conspiracy"-theory floating around out here that some of those peering into space are aware of impending doom, cataclysm, approaching Earth. People are searching for explanations for the bizarre behavior they are witnessing in society. Plus, there's a desire to understand the incredible aerial phenomena viewed in our sky every day. Could be an interesting line of videos. Take care, and thanks for your work and efforts

[@wizengy]

The Hale 200-inch mirror was cast in 1935 by Corning and was the largest telescope mirror in the world at the time. It had problems and it was recast again, this time successfully. After an initial grind it was to be sent to California by rail to get polished. It was carefully put inside a wooden box. As an afterthought, they added some metal plate to the box. When it arrived in California they found some bullet craters in the metal plate covering the mirror. It looks like someone used the moving box on the train car as target practice. The mirror was undamaged thanks to the decision to add the metal plates.

[@jaromir_kovar]

kudos for the director wanting to help Hyde, rather than send him to prison, but I feel like they sort of glossed over the attempted murder. edit: perpetrator's name corrected

[@czechvirusS]

Smith is the director. he wanted to help Jack Hyde (what a funny name considering a single play :D)

[@kellydalstok8900]

@@czechvirusS Jack is short for Jackyll?

[@czechvirusS]

@@kellydalstok8900 i sure hope so. would make it 👌

[@Bialy_1]

From the holes on the mirror it looks that if he wanted to do a hole in the director he would have zero issues to do it... He clearly fired at him only to give him a hint that he shouldn't try to stop him.

[@medea27]

​@@Bialy_1 I don't know about that... the guy climbed into the telescope & fired point blank at a huge target that he was close enough to hit with a hammer. I wouldn't trust that to demonstrate any level of skill or to judge his true intent... his shot hit clothing, that's _WAY_ too close to be anything but sheer luck. And the guy was drunk & having a breakdown. Rule No. 1 of gun handling: _never point it at anything you don't intend to shoot, whether it's loaded or not._ It doesn't work like the movies, and more people are _accidentally_ shot & killed in the US each year than intentionally shot.

[@mosaicmind4816]

Great video, thanks! BTW, it's Fort Davis, Texas, not Fort David, FYI. (1:51) : )

[@Kendro311]

*Walks by telescope* "What do you think you're looking at?!" 🤬 🔫

[@claudiu4800]

it needed an alignment

[@Josh_Fredman]

If you ever get a chance to visit the observatory in this video (McDonald Observatory in TX), I highly recommend it! They have a visitors' center that kids who like space will love, and a Star Party program after dark that everyone will love. Make sure you visit on a night when the Moon won't be in the sky, so that you get the best views of faint objects. The observatory is fairly close to Big Bend National Park and Carlsbad Caverns, so you could make a whole vacation out of it!

[@slmille4]

I was expecting this to be about the recent ransomware attack on the ALMA Observatory

[@antn8387]

This story reminds of the scene in the movie "Contact" when they encounter a saboteur.

[@Vicki_Benji]

I thought about that too. Makes me wonder if this guy was a religious nut.

[@nish8435]

@@Vicki_BenjiProbably was.

[@Josh_Fredman]

​@@Vicki_Benji, it's very isolating out there. 15 miles to the nearest town, which itself is only 500 people or so. This shooting happened before the Internet and smartphones too, so the staff were basically all alone out there except for other observatory staff. Some people cannot deal with this and go insane, unfortunately.

[@ioiindelibles5692]

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

[@fisheye42]

High mountain shining mirror horror, indeed.

[@JerBuster77]

The shooter was just angry that he saw Uranus.

[@Bloodstar6078]

Thank God it wasn't a Smelloscope.

[@randydewees7338]

Jack went for the big mirror. He would have caused a bigger problem if he had gone after the secondary mirror. It would undoubtably have been destroyed, and it would have taken a lot of time and money to replace. These big telescope mirrors are periodically striped and recoated to keep reflectance high. There are built in provisions to do this, and you can see this in the stills.

[@markusmencke8059]

Interesting story. A lot (not all) more modern-build telescopes would suffer a lot more damage, with the more prevalent very thin segmented mirrors on adaptive optics mounts… but on the other hand, these mirrors might be somewhat easier to replace these days than the older massive one-piece ones. I don’t even want to think about what it would mean to replace the Palomar 5 metre mirror these days. (A complete rebuild of the mount and going for a segmented mirror may be possible, but it would likely be a nightmare to do - a nightmare several years long…)

[@Lenfer-hp3ic]

I wonder how this compared to Hubble mirror flaws, which minor flaw yet can give significant result yet this one is fine

[@Bialy_1]

Zero comparison... two different flaws and Hubble got extra corection lense so technicaly there is no flaw anymore in it(but that was crazy expensive corection because it was allready on orbit).

[@randydewees7338]

There are a few worthwhile treatments of the Hubble debacle, it's an interesting story of corporate greed and hubris. I was somewhat involved in the investigation and solution, as were many hundreds of gov and national lab optical people, in that we were provided reports and white papers of the main investigations of the image phase retrievals and optical solution schemes. It was really interesting. But as an optician, I was really angry that Perk and Elmer "management" crushed the warning cries from the opticians working on the primary. They knew something was wrong but were not allowed to investigate.

[@DanielGBenesScienceShows]

I’ve been to McDonald Observatory several times for stellar and solar observations (the “star parties” were lots of fun!) but I never knew this about the telescope! I guess they just assume everyone already knows, and/or (as was my experience) have simply moved on to better, more wholesome conversations.

[@coynegibson2389]

Generally, staff are not focused on this aspect, as in the grand scheme of things, it was, and is inconsequential. If someone asked, for example during a tour, or other event, we offer a factual, non-dramatized account of the event, the engineering and sciences aspects, and move on. An unfortunate situation like this, both for the individuals involved, and the potential outcome is interesting, but does not advance science. In another perspective, the outcome of the event, the minimal impact to science, is a testament to the engineering, science and craftsmanship that makes that outcome possible.

[@gamingwithlacks]

3rd largest telescope took 4 years to build. Nowadays, a 3 meter telescope would take 4 years just for the pre-planning stage. 🤦‍♂️

[@rtxagent6303]

fr

[@ajstevens1652]

Yep 😠

[@1marktanderson]

Put all of the telescopes in space and look for crazy people on earth.😂🤣😂

[@wmpx34]

Don’t need to go to all that trouble…if you want to see crazy people, just look around you

[@mfjaages]

Great video. Glad to hear the telescope is still operating.

[@crewsgiles9499]

Staying up "late" while at the Texas Star Party (I normally slept right after breakfast), I got to see the bullet holes on a tour of the observatory which was just a few miles away in the 1980s. The other surprise was the gazillion ladybugs that make the outside of the observatory their home.

[@Droopy95mkDS]

"[...] got shot seven times" "BANG BANG BANG" That was *not* 7 shots

[@wmpx34]

He attached the silencer between rounds 3 and 4

[@Josh_Fredman]

I noticed the same thing, but he saved it later in the video when pointing out that only three of the bullet holes were detrimental to the mirror's work.

[@lightningrod1063]

The director didn't press charges even though the guy brought a loaded gun to work and actually shot one of his coworkers? Why was it up to the director whether or not they pressed charges? I thought it was a pretty serious matter to shoot someone. Aren't cops supposed to arrest people who do that? I realize this is a story about the telescope, but you DID mention the fact that this dude shot someone before he shot the telescope's mirror. I suspect you forgot about that detail, or you thought it wasn't very significant(but it was).

[@YouTube.Is.Run.By.Terrorists]

Details are important. Like how Alex never said anyone was shot. Because nobody was shot. Someone's shirt got shot, the guy wearing the shirt was physically unharmed. Also a telescope was shot, but that isn't a person. Also observatory telescopes are part of the building, so it's almost like the whole building is a telescope. Which means the telescope was shot 8 times, one was just into the concrete wall of the telescope. The man who was assaulted (but not harmed) -- presumably -- decided to not press charges. If he had pressed charges the outcome would have almost certainly have been attempted murder *or* attempted manslaughter. Instead he was sent to be rehabilitated for the mental illness that obviously played a huge part in what unfolded at the observatory.

[@wavion2]

"My name is Jekyll, but you can call me Jack."

[@spencer6104]

having worked on a large telescope mirror before this is quite honestly heartbreaking that such a noble piece of science would be the target of violence.

[@Darhan62]

I just hope no one attacks the TMT when it finally gets built. The best observing site in the Northern Hemisphere deserves the best telescope we can build there, and the data telescopes collect ultimately contribute to the advancement of knowledge that benefits everyone.

[@wyliemitchell6442]

I visited the McDonald observatory, as a child in early 1980 when I was a freshman in high school and it was the most exciting thing ever to see how it worked and joining in at the star party. I believe the week I was there, they were shooting the laser at the reflector packages left on the moon by the Apollo missions. The staff there was great and answered all my questions. It lead me to become an amateur astronomer, and I have broadcasted on Night Skies Network a few times.

[@Josh_Fredman]

They're still at it today! Built a much bigger visitors center and still do the Star Parties! I was there myself and it was absolutely amazing! Neil deGrasse Tyson did some graduate work there, and many of the old-time staff had met Carl Sagan!

[@liggerstuxin1]

9:50 they showed kindness to a man that wanted nothing but to bring damage and pain. I would imagine, that when this guy gets his life back together, that he would have preferred punishment, than compassion.

[@TheCrossroads533]

He deserved jail time, big time.

[@RobDucharme]

My science discipline of choice is basically bulletproof.

[@Autovetus]

Dudes mental health could not deal with science 😂

[@VoltisArt]

Being overworked, isolated from his family, and possibly suffering from long-term exhaustion (which can have similar results to being a constant drunk) likely contributed to whatever underlying issues he had. A guy working as a tech in a science lab isn't somebody who just hates or is even confused by "science."

[@78tag]

"The more you know" - I didn't know anything about it. WOW what a story.

[@VoltisArt]

TMYK harks back to a series of NBC public service announcements. They began in 1989 and mostly ran through the 90's, but the brand is still maintained and evidently used, though I don't think as often as it was when everybody was watching TV for primary entertainment and info. Very unexpected little joke from Alex, but it got a chuckle from me.

[@hottubking1229]

Story starts at 5:27

[@hinesification]

I spent over 100 nights on that telescope as grad student. It’s a great telescope.

[@Kannot2023]

The fact that his family did not lived with Hyde was a red flag

[@coynegibson2389]

In that era, no. Far West Texas, where the facility is located, is more remote than most can imagine. We do not have ubiquitous cellular service here, and the population density of the county is less than 1-person per square mile. Housing at the facility was extremely limited, which persists to this day. It would have been expensive, disruptive, and extraordinarily difficult to bring a family here in that era. It was not in, and of itself a "red flag."

[@Matt.Thompson.1976]

He also shot at a person. Didn't press charges?? We all experience stress. Some people more than others, and some are better at coping (as stress is a part of life) than others. But people that respond to serious stress by bringing a weapon to the workplace and shooting at co-workers, as well as priceless equipment doesn't need to be anywhere except prison for a very, very, very, very long time. Ridiculous.

[@SM-nz9ff]

Exactly. That weakness gets other people hurt its not helping anything. Just weak people as we continue to see in society now, instead of accountability and responsibility for your actions there is little including from dangerous actions and physical violence. Just pawning everything off as "mental health" as if that absolves anything.

[@briankennedy5885]

I mean prison it's not gonna help this guy, if anything it's just gonna make his mental situation worse. He was having a really bad time, and getting mental help so it doesn't happen again is way better than just throwing him up in a jail cell and hiding the problem under a blanket for a couple of years until when he is finally free, with a more deteriorated mental health, a criminal record making it way harder for him to integrate with society, thus making him way more dangerous to his family, society and himself. I really like that the director saw all this and decided that it was more beneficial for him (and everyone around him) to get institutionalized than to get prison time.

[@briankennedy5885]

​@@SM-nz9ffit's helping more to get psychiatric help than to be thrown in jail for a couple of years and deteriorate further. Luckily there wasn't any serious damages and treating the root of the problem so it doesn't happen again works better for society at large than secluding them.

[@TeemoQuinton]

​@@briankennedy5885he literally shot somebody. He belongs in jail regardless.

[@SM-nz9ff]

@@briankennedy5885 What was the root of the problem? And how do you know he didn't do something else?

[@TheSteveSteele]

The McDonald Observatory is an awesome place to visit. I’ve been there many times while camping in the beautiful West Texas mountains. One of the Lunar Laser Ranging Stations is located at McDonald. If I remember correctly, it’s in one of those smaller white buildings next to one of the telescopes you see at 11:56. The star parties there are the stuff of legends. Most observatories are amazing places to visit. But I highly recommend visiting McDonald Observatory. It’s not as big as some others, but it has a peacefulness that’s second to none. West Texas has some of the darkest skies in the United States as well as being one of the most remote locations too. Big Bend national park is about 90 miles away as well. The whole area has that mellow desert vibe.

[@PrometheusZandski]

If the telescope doesn't really need the interior rings, why not just build a really big mirror without it? That would save on weight and cost.

[@coynegibson2389]

In a system of this type, the obstructed central area, near the straight Cassegrain focus, it is possible to use the thickness and weight of the substrate as part of the optomecahanical design of the telescope's structure. That is one element in play here. This era also predates things like computational FEM, the advances in material science, and optical science we have today. We would not build anything like this in contemporary times.

[@tomholroyd7519]

Same for rocks that hit JWST

[@Trex531]

That’s surprising. Didn’t know about this fact. Weird.

[@ArchangelExile]

Amazing that they are still using that telescope with all those bullet holes in it.

[@Tjalve70]

They should obviously question Mr. Jekyll about where he was when this happened.

[@jmssun]

4:58 “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”

[@toneloke7489]

Someone shot a telescope?? Let me guess, it happened in the good old USA 🙄

[@rtxagent6303]

Even better: in Texas

[@czechvirusS]

​@@rtxagent6303exactly. texas is to the US what the US is to the world xD

[@bradliston8990]

Wow, what a neat story. Ty Astrum team.

[@stephengrimmer35]

I didn't realize attempted murder charges disappeared if the victim's employer decides not to press charges s/

[@coynegibson2389]

Far West Texas, 1970's, a locally made, consensus decision. The outcome was proportional to the harm.

[@iamsuzerain3987]

Wow man that's wild😮...hard to believe I've never heard this story

[@soffici1]

“Texas man”… that was everything you needed to know I don’t care if he struggled with mental health, what he did was unacceptable

[@VesSaphia]

I always wondered how well a telescope would deal with such damage and now I know, thanks.

[@KennytheHedgehog619]

Super great watch! I took a field trip to the McDonald Observatory for my senior year astronomy class and it was awesome, they let you use the controls to swivel the entire dome above you. Interesting to learn of more unique history about it!

[@benmaxwell3808]

The beginning of this is so uncomfortable to watch. I’m glad it came out ok. It’s so hard to get funding for astronomy.

[@g0ast]

Can't wait to download the Harj Smitel rap album, talking about neutron stars and prison bars

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

And to think I was worried about the specs of dust on my 8 inch reflector! I need to learn more about the mirror in my telescope, and see how little the imaging is affected by the dust, and how often I need to clean it.

[@RaserballKP]

"Keep watching to the end of this video for..." Aaaaaaaand I'm out!

[@VoltisArt]

Coward.

[@rael5469]

It's hard to believe they can't repair the mirror. Can't they fill the holes with molten glass?

[@coynegibson2389]

No - once the blank has been figured and polished, that's it. The nature of the material itself prevents this, as it would require fusing material into the damaged areas, then refiguring and final polish (this is greatly over-simplified).

[@williampollock1274]

I know this story very well and you told it just how it happened along with telling about the minimal amount of damage done to the Telescope's mirror! Good job with this story!👍

[@thirstyCactus]

That's pretty stupid not to press charges. Aim a couple inches different could have resulted in a totally different outcome. His intent was to do harm. The fact that no harm was done is beside the point.

[@gawkthimm6030]

Dr. Fatima made an excellent video on 'astronomy has a colonialism problem' its well worth a look, even if not directly connected to why this telescope was attacked. but a lot of older Telescopes were built without the consent of the native locals on stolen land in the early 20th century.