To defile a sacred place

The National Science Foundation has picked the Haleakala mountaintop in Maui, Hawaii, as the site for the world's largest solar optical telescope.

The $300-million project is due to be built near the dormant volcano's summit. It will enable scientists to observe sunspots, flares and other phenomena too small to be seen with current equipment.

Opponents of the project say it would defile a place sacred to Native Hawaiians.