Unexplained ‘security issue’ closes National Solar Observatory Facility

It’s been more than a week, and a National Solar Observatory (NSO) facility in New Mexico is still closed for an undisclosed “security issue.”

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The NSO’s Sunspot Solar Observatory, on Sacramento Peak in the southern part of the state, was evacuated last Thursday (Sept. 6), as was a nearby post office, according to the Albuquerque Journal. FBI agents have reportedly been investigating the site, and they’re apparently keeping local law-enforcement personnel in the dark.

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), which manages the Sunspot observatory with funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, hasn’t said much, either. The organization released a statement saying that AURA “is addressing a security issue” at Sunspot “and has decided to temporarily vacate the facility as a precautionary measure until further notice.” AURA “is working with the proper authorities on this issue,” the statement adds, without specifying who those authorities are.

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