Under Hawaii’s Starriest Skies, a Fight Over Sacred Ground

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VixR

Veritas
There's been a long-standing controversy surrounding the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on top of a mountain in Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Historically, Hawaiian land has been taken advantage of by Western colonialism, tinting this issue in negative light. Although, the permit and proper paperwork for the project was gained, it was rescinded by the court due to failing to accommodate for public opinion and comment following a passionate intervention from the resident population on official ground-breaking day for the construction of the telescope back in 2014. Currently, this month, they're going through a new round of hearings and a legal process to hopefully come to a resolution.

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The Thirty Meter Telescope

The Intervention (Video):

In Favor of the motion: Scientists, researchers, universities and private organizations that have invested in this project the world over.

Against the motion: The Natives, who feel their land is being infringed upon, and has been infringed upon enough due to the thirteen telescopes they've already allowed construction for to date.
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A panorama of the more than dozen telescopes already located in Mauna Kea

This project was first conceived of by scientists the late 1990's. It's been in the works for more than 15 years, 5 of which were spent merely determining and calculating the ideal location on the planet for it. Mauna Kea is one of the few ideal places in the world the Thirty Meter Telescope can go for optimization!

The Thirty Meter would be...

  • A ground The technological peak of telescopes of not only ground telescopes
  • Will use adaptive optics.
  • It'll be 15x clearer than the Hubble telescope images, and will work in concert with the James Webb telescope currently under construction due to launch in 2018
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James Webb Telescope

Source: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/10/0...www.theskepticsguide.org/podcast/sgu/587&_r=0
 
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VixR

Veritas
Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo actor, Game of Thrones), who is part Native Hawaiian is against construction of the TMT.
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VixR

Veritas
J Boog, a popular Hawaiian Reggae Artist, is also against the construction of TMT.
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Native backlash...
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They already built 13 telescopes on the mountain. If it was holy ground they would've been against it from the beginning.
 

VixR

Veritas
They already built 13 telescopes on the mountain. If it was holy ground they would've been against it from the beginning.
Exactly! The group went through the proper channels, the only thing was the lack of public comment issue that the court only put into consideration bc of the heavy public outlash, but then how could they have known of the backlash considering it's basically one more building among an entire pre-existing lineup? They've decided they don't want the other ones either among some of the more extreme elements in the group, but shit is too late so they're making this one a symbolic struggle.

The observatory is dope. The strongest telescope ever. Imagine working someplace like that surrounded by awesome minds from around the world with beautiful Hawaii as your backdrop. Heck, I would apply as an over-qualified janitor there if it meant getting to know the place intimately.

Still, they're very passionate about it from protests, prayers, cultural displays, online rhetoric, etc, not that their voices aren't valid. I hope they come to an agreement. They may have to relocate to one of the few other optimal locations in the world.
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VixR

Veritas
Nicole Scherzinger (Hawaiian, artist)
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Nathalie Emmanuel (Missadei actress, Game of Thrones)
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Ian Somerhalder (actor)
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Rosario Dawson (actress)
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Zoey Kravitz
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maestro

Cultural revolution
Bummer. James Webbs and this telescope were supposed to help us see planets on other stars and maybe discover aliens :(

Too bad though. If the natives say no then it should be no! Or NASA could just destroy the other telescopes and stick with this big one only to keep everyone happy
 

brakenclaw

Stay real in the everything fake era
Bummer. James Webbs and this telescope were supposed to help us see planets on other stars and maybe discover aliens :(

Too bad though. If the natives say no then it should be no! Or NASA could just destroy the other telescopes and stick with this big one only to keep everyone happy
or just relocate it somewhere else....
 
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