Free Astronomy Magazine November-December 2018

22 OBSERVATORIES In September, a famous astronomical observatory located on the Sacramento Mountains, in New Mexico, was the scene of a mysterious operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. For about ten days, all the facilities of the scientific institute and the surrounding residences were evacuated. The secrecy maintained by the investiga- tors or the reason of the intervention triggered a welter of imaginative hypotheses. But even the of- ficial motivation does not seem very convincing. The mystery of Sacramento Peak by Michele Ferrara revised by Damian G. Allis NASA Solar System Ambassador NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018