1:2 Scale Arecibo Observatory

by RandyShughart · 2026-09-01 · Maps

This is a recreation of the Arecibo Observatory, located in the mountainous karst region within the municipality of Arecibo in Puerto Rico. The map is not complete, as it is missing various complexes in and around the main dish. The surrounding terrain is accurate, made using WorldPainter and LIDAR data. The terrain and telescope are both in 1:2 scale, meaning one block = 2 real-world meters. This is a test upload as part of a project to recreate the complex in 1:1 scale, which is currently ongoing. The surrounding landscape is 2k by 2k, as I felt it did not need to be substantially large given the small size of the main dish. The Arecibo Observatory was the world's largest radio telescope for 53 years, and was featured in various films, such as Goldeneye , Contact , and Species. It is also seen notably in Goldeneye 007 and Battlefield 4. The telescope collapsed on December 1st, 2020 due to multiple cable failiures after an auxiliary cable snapped and damaged the dish earlier that year. Preview of the 1:1 scale platform: