Society's Child

Scottish Dark Sky Observatory destroyed in suspicious fire

BBC
Thu, 24 Jun 2021 22:59 UTC

The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory in Ayrshire has been destroyed in a "suspicious" fire.

Emergency services were called to the site on the edge of the Galloway Forest Park at about 01:00.

A joint police and fire service investigation will be carried out to try to establish the cause.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it had sent four appliances to the scene in the early hours and crews remained on site.

There were no reports of any casualties.

Police Scotland asked any motorists with dash cams to check their footage if they were in the area.

The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory opened on the edge of Galloway forest park in late 2012

Det Con Steven Grey said: "The observatory is run by a charity organisation and the financial impact and damage caused is extremely significant.

"It is vital we establish the full circumstances surrounding what happened and I am appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

"The observatory is in a remote location and I would like to speak to anyone who may have been in the area on Tuesday night, into Wednesday morning."

The Galloway Forest Park straddles the regions of East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway and it achieved Dark Sky Park recognition in 2009. The observatory was officially opened in 2012.

Comment: Wikipedia provides a bit more information about the observatory:

The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory was an astronomical observatory located near Loch Doon Loch Doon, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

It was situated on a hilltop site overlooking the Craigengillan Estate and Dalmellington. The site is located in the northern edge of the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park, and within the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, with low levels of light pollution and clear horizon views.

The observatory was built through 2012 and was officially opened by then First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond.^[1] The building and facilities were expanded in 2017 with the addition of a digital planetarium, officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran John Duncan.^[2] After opening the observatory saw visitor numbers increase exponentially, making it one of the top tourist attractions in Scotland.^[3]^[4]^[5]

The SDSO was open all throughout the year, with its main aims being to allow people of all ages and abilities to learn and experience the wonders of astronomy and space, and to be a vital educational resource to children in the region.^[6]

Reader Comments

Rowan Cocoan · 2021-06-24T23:08:47Z

That sucks. Bummer.

Levity is needed: Shouldn't this read:

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it had sent four appliances to the scene in the ~~early~~ wee hours and crews remained on site.

R.C.

Yupo · 2021-06-25T00:03:13Z

Possibly constructed of 86% post-consumer waste paper? Very little of it left. Only took a spark.

codis · 2021-06-25T05:07:19Z

Det Con Steven Grey said: "The observatory is run by a charity organisation and the financial impact and damage caused is extremely significant.

I wonder why this organisation is not named here.

Rowan Cocoan · 2021-06-25T05:18:49Z

codis Good point. Frankly, we are all so God damned rightfully jaded that we have more right to question whatever Team FUKUSraHell says than they have to object to a single word of ours.

RC

codis · 2021-06-25T05:26:44Z

Rowan Cocoan I spotted that hole in the story immediately - maybe because the catholic "Caritas" is the largest charity here in Austria. And they are known to waste 90 per cent of donations for internal "administrative expenses". And God knows what goes on behind the curtain.

Not implying the Caritas is that charity organisation, but justifying my general distrust in "charity" and "philanthropy".

Rowan Cocoan · 2021-06-25T05:29:27Z

codis Well, I trust your researches. What's your best guess on this BS (aside, of course, yet another STS insurance scam.)

RC

codis · 2021-06-25T06:30:29Z

Rowan Cocoan I really don't know ...

Nor I'm sure it is linked to another "charity", the observatory itself (at least their website claims so) seems one:

The Dark Sky Observatory is a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status

The Vatican/Jesuits have observatories as well, as you might know. Another association that came up immediately.

As said, I don't think the "Caritas" is linked to this at all (directly). I just brought it up as an example of corruption. Exploiting a vague feeling of guilt and emptyness in the low-level members who stand in the streets and rattle with the donation box. Placing family members and bastards of the elitist in easy and useless "administration" jobs, having them set for life. And last but not least, dragging the poor receiver of the "help" into dependance of the Western system.

Or maybe a disgruntled neighbor of typical Scottish resoluteness ?!?

maddleswankie · 2021-06-25T06:39:12Z

Rowan Cocoan Check out Sdso accounts from last year [Link]
They seem to be in good health, so insurance scam may not be far off the mark...Or they pissed off the locals?

Rowan Cocoan · 2021-06-25T06:55:56Z

maddleswankie & C: I just don't see the local guys wishing to burn down an observatory. Can you imagine a quieter neighbor?

C: Thanks!

RC

codis · 2021-06-25T07:00:56Z

Rowan Cocoan

Can you imagine a quieter neighbor?

You don't really know that ...

And perhaps one of those neighbors was tricked or forced out of the land that had been his family's for centuries. I grew up in a rural area were that was the norm, and I do now (400 miles away). Those farmers never forget, and never forgive. Like a mini - Yugoslavia.

JTF Truth · 2021-06-25T14:45:53Z

I bet it was hit by a Dark Matter.

codis · 2021-06-25T15:07:47Z

JTF Truth It (the fire) would than have been invisible...

A Dark Fire, so to say.

Bont-Boy · 2021-06-25T16:58:27Z

Greetings All !

Agreed , highly suspicious ...

Codis and Rowan , I'm really pleased to see The People like us part of The Great Awakening ! Fortunately , Q and the Anons are

part of the W.W. Awakening , a Plan initiated even before '63 ....

For my two-penneth worth , just like to mention a U.S. Observatory was shut-down by fbi , for a few weeks , then Arecibo ,

finally ' succumbed ' to cable fatigue (?) , as you'll know Jesuits have their own , Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT) is located on Mt. Graham in south eastern Arizona... called Luci-fer...

[Link]

and now for something....slightly different. . [Link] . ;)

Shangri

Common cold virus shot. If we keep taking shots, the body won't be able to fight viruses.

JTF Truth

Poliovirus that infected a Chinese child in 2014 may have leaked from a lab As do most viruses now a days.

JTF Truth

Other tribes across the planet have done the same. Some to try and absorb some sort of power from a rival. Thank god civilisation arrived.

Peter Jennings

The guys at Never A Straight Answer can look into different galaxies. They can study the sun close up. They have studied every planet in our solar...

Peter Jennings

Society's Child

Scottish Dark Sky Observatory destroyed in suspicious fire

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