Dispute with natives suspends construction of the world's largest telescope

Astronomy is one of humanity's oldest activities. In the beginning, observing the stars was linked to religion, but the invention of the telescope created modern astronomy and all the scientific fields that grew out of it. Now the Thirty Meter Telescope, or TMT in short, it wants to take the next big leap in astronomical studies – if it manages to resolve a controversial dispute that has already divided the scientific community.

O TMT got its name precisely because its mirror will be thirty meters long – almost three times the size of the mirror. Canary Islands Great Telescope, the world's current largest reflecting telescope. It is not possible to build a single piece of this size, and it will then be divided into 492 smaller hexagonal mirrors, each measuring 1,4 meters. The shapes of the parts and their relative positions will be actively controlled to prevent deformation. As a telescope Ritchey–Chrétien, the main and secondary mirrors of the TMT are hyperbolic, eliminating other optical errors.

The project started in 2003, as a partnership between Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy (ACURA), University of California (UC) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), from other large telescope projects. Over time, other organizations joined the TMT, like the National Institutes of Natural Sciences from Japan and National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In total there are five members and two associates, who joined 300 million dollars to invest in the construction of the observatory.

The chosen site, on top of the extinct volcano Mauna Kea, is ideal for building observatories. Situated on the main island of Hawaii, the peak stands at nearly 14 feet, or about 4.200 meters in elevation. Above the clouds and away from the light pollution of nearby cities, the summit's clear sky is perfect for astronomical observations.

The problem is that Mauna Kea it is considered a sacred area for the natives. In Hawaiian mythology, the volcano is where Sky Father Wakea joined Mother Earth Papahanaumoku, creating the islands of the archipelago, and the region is protected by the Historic Conservation Act. Despite the construction being in a space reserved for astronomical studies, the population believes that a project of this magnitude - the TMT will be the height of an 18-story building – the rickety top of Mauna Kea would have its consequences.

It is not the first time that the local people have had problems – another 13 telescopes have already been built in the region. But this time the natives have garnered international attention by using the Internet to petition and create profiles on social networks. Due to the repercussion, the construction that started last year was paralyzed by the responsible organization. The video below was made by one of the activists against the work of the telescope.

https://vimeo.com/124563166

It is important to say that the works could be restarted immediately and legally. the team of TMT carried out an environmental and cultural impact study, completed in 2010 after 14 meetings with representatives of local communities, and has all the necessary permits for the project, which were obtained after consultations at public hearings.

On the one hand, the TMT will be responsible for important advances in astronomy. It will allow you to see objects farther away than current telescopes, and closer objects will be seen more clearly. On the other, activists say the impact assessments were not rigorous enough. despite the TMT be planned to produce no waste and use solar panels to generate power for the observatory, construction will require new roads and transmission lines to the site, and excavation of more than two floors for the foundation. In addition to the religious sites, on the environmental side, the work puts endemic animals and plants at risk, such as the hawaii goose and species of the genus Argyroxiphium.

But the discussion on the topic still involves prejudice against the local community. two astronomers from University of California were accused of racism because of an email sent with a petition in support of the TMT, calling the natives a "horde" who "are lying about the impact". Both apologized for the affair, but the damage will be difficult to reverse.

The benefits of TMT they are still undeniable, and with the support of government agencies, it is difficult for the project to be cancelled. It is only necessary to think of new ways so that scientific advance does not destroy local beliefs and environment. Watch the presentation video below. TMT.

Source: Business Insider.