Construction of a Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea has been brought to a temporary halt as protests over building the 18-story high telescope stretch across the globe. Plans to build the $1.4 billion telescope have been seven years in the making, but opposition only gained momentum recently amid growing concern over further astronomy-related development on land Native Hawaiians consider sacred. Malia Mattoch moderates the discussion.

Tonight’s panelists include (In alphabetical order):

Paul Coleman, Astrophysicist, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai‘i-Manoa

Richard Ha, Hawai‘i Island Farmer and Businessman

Jon Osorio, Board President, KAHEA, a Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance

Kealoha Pisciotta, President, Mauna Kea Anaina Hou

INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII is a live public affairs show that is also live streamed on PBSHawaii.org. Your questions and comments are welcome via phone, email, Twitter or live blogging. You may also email your questions ahead of time to insights@pbshawaii.org.

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