An artist's rendering made available by the TMT Observatory Corporation shows the proposed Thirty Meter Observatory. A consortium of U.S. and Canadian universities on Tuesday announced it has decided to build the world's largest telescope in Hawaii. Mauna Kea volcano was picked by Thirty Meter Telescope Observatory Corp. The other finalist candidate site was Chile's Cerro Armazones mountain.
(AP Photo/TMT Observatory Corporation)Photos (1 of 1)
Volcano says aloha to world’s largest telescope
By Matthew Shaer | 07.23.09
In the end, it came down to two potential sites – Mauna Kea in Hawaii and Cerro Armazones in Chile. But yesterday, the board of directors of the Thirty Meter Telescope Observatory Corporation selected Mauna Kea as the site for the a new telescope, said to be the largest such device ever constructed.
According to the Associated Press, the telescope’s mirror will stretch almost 100 feet in diameter – large enough to gather light that’s spent the last 13 billion years traveling to Earth. If the device works as anticipated, researchers would be able to peer out at images of the first stars and galaxies.
“It will sort of give us the history of the universe,” spokesman Charles Blue told the AP.
Edward Stone, Caltech’s Morrisroe Professor of Physics and vice chairman of the TMT board, said in a statement that Mauna Kea was a natural choice for the telescope. “The atmospheric conditions, low average temperatures, and very low humidity will open an exciting new discovery space using adaptive optics and infrared observations,” he said.
The telescope, which will not be completed until 2018, is the product of a wide-ranging partnership among several international bodies, including the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and ACURA, an organization of Canadian universities.
Mauna Kea already plays host to a range of telescopes. Many are perched atop the same dormant volcano where the Thirty Meter Telescope will be constructed – a site favored by astronomers because its summit sits at 13,796 feet, high above the clouds.
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2. Kenneth Fowler | 07.23.09
Ms. Clark’s comment regarding the choice of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano, is partially correct; dormant volcanoes can become active again but the unique process by which the Hawaiian Islands were formed by the movement of the Pacific plate over a hot spot would indicate that unless the plate were to reverse direction the likelihood of this particular volcano erupting again (at least in the foreseeable future) is a very low order of probability - one chance in a million or less.
3. Alex Hill | 07.23.09
“Why not use the funding for the telescopes planned for earth orbit or upgrade the one already out there?”
Because satellites are very, very expensive. Hubble Space Telescope, the best known space telescope (although there are many others that produce more science), has only a 2.5 m mirror and probably cost more than the 30 m telescope. There are significant advantages to putting telescopes in orbit (you get extraordinary image quality and can see at wavelengths that don’t make it down to the Earth at all), but for seeing very faint objects, nothing beats an enormous mirror on the ground.
Mauna Kea is easily the best ground site in the world for big telescopes. Its last eruption was over 3000 years ago, so the advantages of the site far outweigh the miniscule risk of an eruption.
4. Pele | 07.23.09
Don’t worry. The chance of Mauna Kea popping off before all of these telescopes are obsolete and rusted away is probably close to the same chance that the grand canyon will flood.
5. G King | 07.23.09
Why spent the money that this project will cost to look back 13 billion years “into” the past? It would seem much more productive to construct a device that that could look forward 13 weeks “into” the future. I’m sorry, I just remembered that there is already one operating in Roswell.
The Paranal desert is located next to the Andies which is also part of the spine that runs through North/South America and is subject to significant Plate Shift making it prone to earthquake activity. That and the unstable political activity would make Mauna Kea a better choice.
6. Eugene Moore | 07.23.09
Spending money on the past can help us in the future. the telescope may make an extraordinary find, one that could save us TRILLIONS in the future. We even find medical advances when there is a new discovery in space. The next important chemical compound is out there, waiting for a telescope to discover it.
7. Yacko | 07.23.09
The volcano is dormant because the plate that the solidified lava is on has moved northwest from the lava plume. The currently active volcanoes are Mauna Loa and Kīlauea and there is a vent building up to surface level of the Pacific Ocean a few miles east of Hawaii. The Hawaiian Islands are part of a very large chain of volcanic material. See the following article for a good explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Islands. There is no chance of a volcano on any of the dormant islands that make up this chain coming back to life.
8. A.G. - Hawai’i | 07.23.09
Most Hawaiians are angry about the telescopes already existing on top of this very sacred mountain. Putting this monstrous sized telescope there adds insult to injury and fans the flames of anger and hatred of anything “Haole” here.
Traditionally the top of Mauna Kea is where the ancient Gods and Goddesses live. Nowadays among modern Hawaiians (who are mostly Christian) it is still the place to go pray where one can be the closest to the heavens and where one’s prayers can be heard the easiest.
Think of a huge telescope being built on the temple mount in Jerusalem, the Vatican in Rome, the Mormon Temple in Salt lake City, or any other of western culture’s sacred sites and you may begin to understand the impact those telescopes on Mauna Kea have here.
If you really need your expensive toy to be placed here, first tear down the obsolete telescopes up there, then build it upon those already desecrated sites, instead of desecrating new land….
…instead of building it on a site where people from Waimea and Honoka’a (which have sizable percentages of Hawaiians and others who love the land and traditions) have to look at it and resent it every day, build it instead so it is visible from Waikoloa as tourists generally are impressed by such things and usually don’t seem to give much of a hoot about Hawaiian culture anyway, other than the luaus at the hotels.
…better to spend the money to learn to look into people’s hearts and minds, and to do something different with what you’ve learned, than to be looking so far in the past, while repeating the same mistakes of the past.
10. das_boat | 07.24.09
I would like to know how they plan to create a 100 foot diameter mirror? I believe the largest in the world is less than 20 feet. pyrex built it with a great deal of agony. It took one year just to cool the pour of the glass enough to begin grinding and polishing.
11. Menehune | 07.24.09
A.G., since Hawaiians are Christian they should know that standing on top of a mountain does not help God hear their prayers any better. “Better to spend the money to look into people’s hearts and minds”? Nonsense; look all you want, it doesn’t cost a cent. Do that and build a telescope with the money left over.
12. Apolloeleven | 07.24.09
Why not build a telescope on the Moon? That’s one of the things a naturally existing satellite could be useful for. Just fool around with an impact crater and put glass on top of it and add doohickies, or something.
13. Apolloeleven | 07.24.09
Advantages of the Moon:
-Little or no atmosphere
-Little or no light pollution
-Ground available to build something on
-Gravity available to help hold the thing in place
14. Suze | 07.25.09
I’m in favor of telescopes, superconducting super colliders, and such but don’t like having the natural horizon defiled with them. However, I felt the same way about the ridge lines in Southern California, and that didn’t stop anyone from building their big stinking mansions up there. $$$$$
And if someone feels more peaceful atop a mountain, then he should be able to go there to pray. Seems like some old guys used to do that, and they got included in the Bible.
15. Tom | 07.25.09
Hey! I love astronomy and telescopes. I went to the Davis Mts. in TX and saw the MacDonald Observatory (hope ‘they’ will continue to fund it), but it’s a really old one. This new thing in 2018 sounds groovy! Is it gonna be a bunch of small mirrors that focus together to equal a 100 ft mirror? “Cap’n, we seem to have arrived somewhere far from our own galaxy…” 
16. Justin | 07.25.09
“…since Hawaiians are Christian they should know that standing on top of a mountain does not help God hear their prayers any better.”
A lot of Hawaiians follow a syncretic form of Christianity, which is mixed with native Hawaiian traditions. So purely western Christian ideology doesn’t necessarily follow. The laws of the physical realm still apply to these people, since prayers are physical things to them.
18. thehurmit | 07.25.09
i agree, one stimulous check would have done it, or one iraq war check.i’d rather spend the money on something STIMULATING .
19. Hawaiian Girl | 07.25.09
Why don’t they just build the telescope somewhere else and leave our Islands alone? This is getting way out of control. The “Haole” has already taken our Lands from us as we are trying to get them back. I understand that they are trying to look into the past, well, move on to another place. The Gods and Goddesses will not be happy about this. Especially “Pele”, she will erupt with fury. Leave “OUR” Island’s alone and move on to some other land.
20. T.P. | 07.25.09
I agree with the one on the moon. Perfect spot, control it from earth. Plus they could “really” land “on the moon” this time.
21. Geoff | 07.25.09
“Is it gonna be a bunch of small mirrors that focus together to equal a 100 ft mirror? “Cap’n, we seem to have arrived somewhere far from our own galaxy…”
No one has tried to answer based on engineering.
But you don’t need engineering to answer this one!!
How on earth would you transport a 100ft mirror accross the pacific unless it was made like Ikea flat pack???
I hope the include all the bits in the boxes.
Geoff
22. Jay | 07.25.09
‘Think of a huge telescope being built on the temple mount in Jerusalem, the Vatican in Rome, the Mormon Temple in Salt lake City, or any other of western culture’s sacred sites and you may begin to understand the impact those telescopes on Mauna Kea have here.’
I dunno about yall, but Im good with drop’n a telescope in the mormon temple in SLC just for the purpose of opening up 10 acres of prime downtown real estate that they consumed under pretences of little more than eminent domain for their own furthering
24. mark | 07.25.09
how about spending the money to feed the hungry! They just opened a telescope in the Canary Islands. Why the hell can’t we get real?
25. Joe | 07.25.09
A single 100 ft diameter mirror is not possible. The mirror will have to consist of many mirrors equaling a 100 ft diameter.
26. Ettiene | 07.25.09
I was not aware of the importance of that mountain in hawaiian culture. i think it should be respected. Send the telescope to Chile.
27. junglegirl | 07.25.09
AG’s suggestion to build on the side visible by tourists is probably the perfect solution.
And everyone who works with energy knows that mountain tops are powerspots that allow for enormous inner clarity - how tickled will the scientists of outer space will feel when they realize that what they’ve been looking for “out there” is truly and literally within themselves. Meanwhile, maybe some of their discoveries will help to save this planet from eco-disaster and over-population.
All those people who go up there to pray are the scientists of inner space - and they have every right to have their territory respected as well - they just don’t go about hiring security guards and building walls. Mutual respect with full benefits is a must. Why is this still so difficult for both sides to understand?
29. MS | 07.25.09
There is a telescope at the Vatican. In fact they own several… The “Holy Ground” argument is a bad analogy in my opinion.
30. Alaskan_Handyman | 07.25.09
“i agree, one stimulous check would have done it, or one iraq war check.i’d rather spend the money on something STIMULATING .”
not going to get political here but honestly if we as citizens cannot spend our selves to prosperity what make you believe that the government taxing future generations to fund things now has anything to do with stimulation… I am all for private funding of such projects and I know that there are places where this kind of money are available outside of the government fist…
Thomas Jefferson said ” A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take everything you have”
31. you-know-who | 07.25.09
I’d say - fantastic thing! hope it works. BTW, looking back in time isn’t the only thing.. I’m more interested in the nearby planetary systems like our own. astronomers start toi image them, it’s really cool, you should see some of these on the web.. there’s one system with three planets you can see in an image, HR 8799.
32. William | 07.25.09
Personally, I feel we should use all this peering into the past and expoloring outer space money into the welfare of the people right here on earth. Take all the B.S. money and give it to the people to help themselves and a wavering economy. After all… it is our money that the government is throwing out on junk and parties for thier own frivilous activities.
i’d rather have my money in my pocket. Not on a mountian… looking away from a growing problem.
33. Jeff | 07.25.09
I used to live in Hawai’i, I have been up to the summit of Mauna Kea several times and have also actually read a book about the history of it written by a Native Hawaiian. I’ve done my fair share of traveling and Mauna Kea is actually one of my favorite places in the world. A couple of things: (Some have been said already, but I should reiterate.) There is one in a Trillion chance of Mauna Kea Erupting at the summit in the lifetime of this telescope. No need to worry about that. The site of Mauna Kea was indeed very sacred to the Hawaiians, but they would never actually go to the very top anyway, because it was apparently Kapu. All of the telescopes are actually built on or near a different peak a few hundred yards away from the true summit. The true summit remains undeveloped besides a USGS Marker pole marking the 13,796 ft summit and a small Hawaiian shrine. I love this place and I’m all for protecting it, but I can see great scientific value in putting just one more telescope up there, assuming it’s as great as they say it is. Just my thoughts.
34. JesseHolliday | 07.25.09
Personally I like the idea that a piece of scientific equipment is going on top of a religious site. Looks like science is literally trumping religion. And for those that are religious, why should they care? I though the idea of God resides inside of the individual. At least this telescope will give humanity a clue about areas outside of this planet!
35. Benedict | 07.25.09
I really enjoy reading these comments. They encompass a variety of viewpoints I think we all may have to some degree, it’s just the percentages I think.
Anyway, I have “followed” telescopes all my life. The idea of a simply stunning telescope on a holy mountain (or sacred, I am not sure about the difference) is somehow very appealing to me and rather appropriate. It is a “reach” out into space from us Earth people.
I am a bit like Suze about telescopes; and on the opposite end, banging little bits of dirt to smithereens in supercolliders. At the same time, I have been shocked to find mansions on the little hummocks around suburban Denver communities, while the rest of the land is mostly unused.
I like the idea of a syncretic religion, too, but in this case I suppose there has to be a bit more of the old syncretism. We have to stretch our toleration of “old” and “new” viewpoints. We keep the Pyramids, the Greek and Roman temples. I wonder what we are going to do with cathedrals if Christianity continues to slide. We will keep Salisbury, Chartres, Westminster (there, two for England) and maintain a certain respect around them even if we don’t believe.
Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, there occasionally is found an Indian burial ground, and I don’t know how the conflict gets resolved, but “society’s needs” seem to win out.
All this said, our ability to look into our own “hearts” and those of others is somewhat limited and we should put ten cents into that effort some day.
36. Rhyan | 07.25.09
Can this telescope find jobs for the millions of people out of work? If not, then it’s worthless to the 99.5% of the population who will never need or use it.
It sounds like the universities that make up the consortium that’s building this might be overcharging for tuition just a bit, especially when they have millions to throw around on an observatory that 99.5% of the population will not need or use.
Unless the unknown of deep space can provide answers to world hunger, health care, homelessness and unemployment, then it’s money not well spent, regardless of where they put it.
37. kb | 07.25.09
how is this going to help the american people and our economy. stop spending money on stupid stuff and give it to the people who works hard everyday supplying goods and services to the american society.
38. justin hahn | 07.26.09
JessseHolliday, that is probably the most astute comment I have seen regarding the Mauna Kea issue. It perfectly sums up everything native Hawaiians have against the telescope and the culture trying to build it.
For example, “Personally I like the idea that a piece of scientific equipment is going on top of a religious site. Looks like science is literally trumping religion.”
Native Hawaiians don’t see it as “science versus religion,” but rather an imperialist “haole” world views versus their own indigenous cosmology, which incorporates both science and religion as one. The science versus religion thing doesn’t matter much to them. They see this as just another insult against them and their land — which was (they say) stolen by the USA. And indeed, it is: it’s the west exorcising it’s own ideological demons at the expense of sacred ground.
“And for those that are religious, why should they care? I though the idea of God resides inside of the individual. At least this telescope will give humanity a clue about areas outside of this planet!”
They care because native Hawaiian religion, and the new native Hawaiian Christianity, tends to view the divine as residing in people, but more importantly, in the land — the ‘aina. The earth is sacred. Native Hawaiian Christians take very seriously the idea that their God inhabits all of His creations and His creations are a manifestation of Him. They are his kinolau.
Native Hawaiian religion, even Christianity, doesn’t see earth as a miserable, horrid place to be transcended as soon as possible; but rather as paradise. There is nothing better than the here and now, so why would they want to defile paradise just to look at other stuff that’s bound to be disappointing?
39. marty | 07.26.09
Whats wrong with telescopes on the mountain?
The “Gods and Goddesses” really dont live there, and we ALL know that. And there’s no law stopping a beleiver from leaving a bowl of mooshoo pork = or whatever = on their own porch at night, as an offering to any Gods or Goddesses that MIGHT be hanging around hungry . . . .
so whats the real deal with this? just build the scopes already .
40. Adam , Germany | 07.26.09
Why shouldn,t we regard the telescope as a kind of update worship tool of mankind, put on the right holy place, to have a closer contact with God - don,t be angry about it!
41. Kohala Kam | 07.26.09
Unfortunately for “Hawaiian Girl”, the Big Island is not owned by a particular ethnic group, but by the citizens of the USA. This includes people of Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Polynesian, Hawaiian, and haole / Caucasian descent. If you are really after a new government for the island, then promote that instead of complaining every time someone tries to build a telescope. Don’t forget your president is also from Hawaii!
43. Fire Boar Vietnam Veteran, and Kanaka Maoli | 07.28.09
Why do perceive ” HA’OLE” as a racist term…..maybe in the context of how you use ‘Ha ole”, but I was told otherwise by the late Kahuna Laau Lapa Au, Sam Lono!
RE:garding Ha Ole…(with out breathe) refers to the term used to describe the first European and others that followed ( Capt. James Cook et company) to make contact with the Kanaka Maoli population, era 1778 AD.
HA OLE was a term used to described condition of the pale faces, those light skinned aliens who first arrived in the Archepelago, Ka Pa Aina, on funny looking sailing vessels with huge wings (masts) carved and shaped from huge tree trunks, stinking of rotten decaying, dying flesh, seeking a safe habor to replenish their souls from a very ardous and long voyage, seeking a way to their homeland.
That the majority of these new arrivals lacked the “sacred HA, the breathe of what was acknowledge as Mana (an endearing polynesian concept of Spiritualism)
The Kahuna ( keepers of the Spiritual wisdom of our ancestors), made it clear that these newcomers had a unusual mind set of viewing tradition Kanaka Maoli traditions. That this mind set would eventually lead to the destruction of a the way of life and traditions of sharing and taking care of each other. The Kanaka Maoli value system was in direct opposite to the white man’s value system.
Therefore, I submit to you, what I was taught by my Kapuna’s…that respect for all peoples no matter what color or belief system they carried. Respect for each others differencenes and similaritys is of utmost importance in our quest for survival in this modern society.
May this issue of the telescope be resolved with guideance from Akua…Pule (pray) for a spiritual sign and let our Amakuas bring these issues to a final decision.
After all we all come from the “union of a sperm and an egg”
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1. Carole Clarke | 07.23.09
What is the wisdom of perching so many observatories on the side of an only dormant volcano? Dormant means sleeping so if Mauna Kea decides to awake, we have a very expensive problem. The whole Pacific Rim has been volcanically active recently and will continue for some time. Why not use the funding for the telescopes planned for earth orbit or upgrade the one already out there?