MAUNA KEA, HAWAII — Hundreds have gathered to protest the Thirty Meter Telescope project, which is planned to be built on the summit of Mauna Kea on Hawaii's Big Island. The ongoing protests began on July 15.
Mauna Kea already has 13 telescopes built on its land, according to the BBC.
Some native Hawaiians consider Mauna Kea's summit to be sacred and are against the construction of what would be one of the largest telescopes in the world.
The Thirty Meter Telescope's primary mirror would be 30 meters wide. This would be three times as wide as the world's largest visible light telescope.
According to the project's website, the telescope would be 200 times more sensitive in detecting objects, stars and other exoplanets in the universe, compared to existing ground-based telescopes and small telescopes in space.
Scientists chose Mauna Kea's summit as an ideal location for the telescope for its clear skies and low atmospheric water vapor.
Researchers plan to use the telescope to study the properties of distant supernovae to gain a better understanding of how dark energy and dark matter were involved in the evolution of our universe. Scientists also plan to use the telescope to study the links between black holes and their host galaxies.
Hawaiian Governor David Ige announced on July 10 that construction on the summit was to begin on July 15.
However, around 2,000 activists have since blocked Mauna Kea Access Road to the summit in a bid to prevent construction on the site, while 34 have been arrested.
Those protesting say they are fighting for their families and to protect sacred land and culture, Hawaii News Now reports.
Some Native Hawaiians believe the summit is a place of worship and prayer and considered it "kapu" — or forbidden.
