New Mexico residents fighting to save solar observatory from demolition hail partial win

A coalition of New Mexico residents who spent the summer pushing to save a remote solar observatory from demolition are celebrating a partial victory as the National Science Foundation hears out objections to its plans.

By: Joshua Bowling

Outlets: Source New Mexico

Published: October 16, 2026

Words: 621

Last Updated: 1 day, 7 hours ago

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A coalition of New Mexico residents who spent the summer pushing to save a remote solar observatory from demolition are celebrating a partial victory.

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Earlier this year, the National Science Foundation announced plans to demolish the nearly 80-year-old Sunspot Solar Observatory in the Sacramento Mountains near Alamogordo due to a liquid mercury leak inside the site’s aging telescope. A band of …

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