Hawaii's Thirty Meter Telescope website taken down in apparent cyberattack
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This undated file artist rendering made available by the TMT Observatory Corporation shows the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope, planned to be built atop Mauna Kea, a large dormand volcano in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii in Hawaii. (AP Photo/TMT Observatory Corporation, File)
An apparent cyberattack Sunday temporarily disrupted the main website of Thirty Meter Telescope, the organization trying to construct one of the world's largest telescopes near the summit of Mauna Kea on Hawaii's Big Island.
Thirty Meter Telescope spokeswoman Caroline Witherspoon confirmed that the company's website suffered a disruption, but could not say who was responsible for the attack. She says the site was unavailable for about two hours.
Native Hawaiians consider the land on top of Mauna Kea to be sacred and have been opposing the telescope project. Hawaii Gov. David Ige recently arranged a halt in construction to further discuss the issue.