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8-491: Construction began in 1964 at a 3,900-foot-altitude (1,200 m) site in the Laguna Mountains , 65 miles (105 kilometers) east of San Diego . It is being dismantled as of November 2015. The observatory played a major role in solar radio mapping , studies of environmental disturbances, and development of a solar optical videometer for microwave research. Its 60-foot dish, which could both transmit and receive,

16-604: A mountain range of the Peninsular Ranges in eastern San Diego County, California . The mountains run in a northwest/southeast alignment for approximately 35 miles (56 km). The mountains have long been inhabited by the indigenous Kumeyaay people. The Laguna Mountains are bordered by the Cuyamaca Mountains area on the west and the Colorado Desert on the east, where the mountains form

24-684: A steep escarpment along the Laguna Salada Fault . To the north the Laguna Mountains are bounded by the Elsinore Fault Zone and to the south by Cameron Valley and Thing Valley. The highest point is Cuyapaipe Mountain at 6,378 feet (1,944 m). The mountains are largely contained within the Cleveland National Forest . Snow falls on the highest peaks several times a year. Mount Laguna

32-630: Is a village in the Laguna Mountains with a population of about 80. The headwaters of three perennial streams begin in the Laguna Mountains: Noble Creek, Cottonwood Creek , and Kitchen Creek. The Laguna Mountains extend northwest about 35 mi (56 km) from the Mexican border at the Sierra de Juárez range. The Sawtooth Range and In-Ko-Pah Mountains are adjacent to the east. The Santa Rosa Mountains lie further to

40-412: The national grid. In addition, the dish was computer controlled by an operator located in the building below the dish. The dish movements were monitored by close-circuit television. The observatory was decommissioned in 1986. The large dish physically remained unused until it was dismantled in late 2015; the surrounding site is now used as a Naval Weapons Training Facility. Local residents referred to

48-598: The northeast. The Cuyamaca Mountains are adjacent along the west. The southern section is in the Mountain Empire region of San Diego County, and the northern section is in the East County region. The Laguna Mountains are a popular recreation area in the Cleveland National Forest . They comprise the southernmost crest along the Pacific Crest Trail . Their relatively high altitude induces

56-534: The unused, upwards-pointing, dish as "the Pterodactyl Birdbath". 32°40′40″N 116°26′10″W  /  32.6777°N 116.4360°W  / 32.6777; -116.4360 This article about a specific observatory, telescope or astronomical instrument in the United States is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Laguna Mountains The Laguna Mountains are

64-424: Was used for important research programs in propagation and ionospheric forecasting which were used during a number of Apollo space launches to predict solar activity that might hamper communications from the ground to the space capsules. The building located at the lower right of the dish housed a turbine-powered alternator used to provide power for the dish operation. There was insufficient power available from

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