Just a bit of a warning for those of you who want to see the actual Arecibo location for yourself: the giant radio telescope dish is not the gleaming, shiny, spotless disc we've seen in photos (and the movie Contact). It's actually dirty, stained and tarnished, and littered with debris from the surrounding landscape. This in no way subtracts from its importance or the fact that its funding is needed...but don't get your hopes up too high if you actually go to visit the place yourselves.