The Arecibo Observatory (ah-re-SEE-boh) is a very sensitive radio telescope located approximately 9 miles (14 km) south-southwest from the town of Arecibo in Puerto Rico. It is operated by Cornell University under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The observatory works as the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) although both names are officially used to refer to it. NAIC more properly refers to the organization that runs both the observatory and associated offices at Cornell University.

Arecibo Observatory was used as a filming location in the final scene of the James Bond movie GoldenEye. Arecibo Observatory was used as a filming location in the final scene of the James Bond movie GoldenEye.

The film Contact features Arecibo in a more realistic way, as main character Ellie Arroway uses the facility as part of a SETI project.

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