A volcano on Hawaii's Big Island is sacred to spiritual practitioners and treasured by astronomers

The future of astronomy on Mauna Kea will be decided by the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, which is taking over from the University of Hawaii. It will determine whether to renew the university's lease for the summit lands, due to expire in 2033. The existing lease requires dismantling the telescopes and restoring the land if not renewed. The potential loss of Mauna Kea astronomy would be catastrophic, with a tremendous loss of knowledge and opportunities for Hawaii's astronomers.