In Hawaii, a battle is brewing over a telescope

Early Wednesday, eight people opposed to the building of a giant telescope were detained on the top of Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano. It was the fourth time in recent months that protesters have been arrested on Mauna Kea, which is considered sacred by many Native Hawaiians.

There are already 13 telescopes on Mauna Kea, but protesters have been rallying together on the top of the mountain since April to prevent construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, The Associated Press reports. In July, Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources approved an emergency rule that restricts access to the mountain for certain hours overnight; it was enacted due to protesters remaining on Mauna Kea 24 hours a day. Hawaii's attorney general, Doug Chin, said the rule had to be made because some protesters were threatening people and putting boulders in the road.

The protesters said on Wednesday that they were removed from the mountain at around 1 a.m. while praying. In a statement, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs — a public agency promoting the rights of Native Hawaiians that opposed the restricted hours — said: "Native Hawaiians have constitutionally protected rights to reasonably engage in traditional and customary practices, and regulations cannot eliminate the exercise of these rights." Work hasn't been done on the Thirty Meter Telescope since April, and the nonprofit building it hasn't said if it will continue the project.

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