He has been involved in this development process from the earliest: from the demonstration of the first green laser pointer-assisted adaptive optical system to the construction of a prototype, and then the establishment of a center to apply the technology to global telescopes. However, her biggest victory also became her biggest challenge. Last October, at the age when other astronomers may be looking forward to retirement, Max, 68, agreed to be interim director of the University of California Observatory.
In this position, whether temporary or not, Max finds himself in a mess of professionalism and cultural ideas in the field of astronomy, which is caused by the huge costs brought by these new generations of “behemoths.” Currently, a total of three such telescopes are in different planning and construction stages, each costing about $ 1 billion.
These costs pose major challenges to telescope owners and funders, including UCO, a key partner in the 30-meter telescope that has been built on the top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii since last year. How do they “pay” for all relatively old and smaller telescopes? Should owners succumb to economic pressure to shut down these green laser pointer telescopes, even though they remain essential equipment for scientific researchers and a training ground for young astronomers?