Editing Lick Observatory (section)

==21st century==
[[Image:Lick Observatory from Park.jpg|thumb|Lick Observatory from [[Grant Ranch Park]]]]
[[File:Lick Observatory aerial.jpg|thumb|Lick Observatory and [[Mount Hamilton (California)|Mount Hamilton]], looking east on takeoff from [[Mineta San José International Airport]]]]

With the growth of San Jose, and the rest of Silicon Valley, [[light pollution]] became a problem for the observatory.  In the 1970s, a site in the [[Santa Lucia Mountains]] at [[Junípero Serra Peak]], southeast of [[Monterey, California|Monterey]], was evaluated for possible relocation of many of the telescopes.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} However, funding for the move was not available, and in 1980 San Jose began a program to reduce the effects of lighting, most notably replacing all streetlamps with [[Sodium vapor lamp#Low pressure / LPS / SOX|low pressure sodium lamps]]. The result is that the Mount Hamilton site remains a viable location for a major working observatory. 

The [[International Astronomical Union]] named [[6216 San Jose|Asteroid 6216 San Jose]] to honor the city's efforts toward reducing [[light pollution]].<ref name="asteroid">[http://www.ucsc.edu/oncampus/currents/97-98/05-25/asteroid.htm UCSC, Lick Observatory designate asteroid for the city of San Jose] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070817095443/http://www.ucsc.edu/oncampus/currents/97-98/05-25/asteroid.htm |date=August 17, 2007 }}</ref>

In 2006, there were 23 families in residence, plus typically between two and ten visiting astronomers from the University of California campuses, who stay in dormitories while working at the observatory. The little town of [[Mount Hamilton (California)|Mount Hamilton]] atop the mountain has its own police and a post office, and until 2005 had a one-room K-8 school.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/sd/details.asp?cds=43693696046262&Public=Y |title=Mt. Hamilton Elementary – School Directory Details (CA Dept of Education) |publisher=CA Dept of Education |access-date=October 15, 2015}}</ref>

In 2008, there were 38 people residing on the mountain; the chef and commons dinner were decommissioned.{{citation needed|date = January 2014}}  By 2013, with continuing budget and staff cuts there remain only about nineteen residents and it is common for the observers to work from remote observing stations rather than make the drive, partly as a result of the business office raising the cost to stay in the dorms.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}} The swimming pool has been closed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lick-observatory |title=Lick Observatory |last=Black |first=Annetta |website=Atlas Obscura |language=en |access-date=2018-12-31 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

In 2013, one of Lick Observatory's key funding sources was scheduled for elimination in 2018, which many worried would result in the closing of the entire observatory.<ref>{{cite news | last = Hoban | first = Virgie | title = Facing a Waning Future | newspaper = [[The Daily Californian]] | location = Berkeley, California | pages = 1+ | date = September 2, 2014 | url = http://www.dailycal.org/2014/09/02/facing-waning-future/ | access-date = September 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last = Overbye | first = Dennis | title = A Star-Gazing Palace's Hazy Future | journal = [[New York Times]] | date = June 3, 2014 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/science/space/a-star-gazing-palaces-hazy-future.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A11%22%7D&_r=0 | access-date = September 4, 2014 |url-access=registration }}</ref>

In November 2014, the University of California announced its intention to continue support of Lick Observatory.<ref>{{cite news
 | last = Lebow | first = Hilary | title = UC Confirms Continued Support of Lick Observatory | newspaper = [[UC Santa Cruz]] | pages = 1+ | date = November 4, 2014 | url = http://news.ucsc.edu/2014/11/Lick-support.html | access-date = November 4, 2014}}</ref>

Telescopes at Lick Observatory are used by researchers from many campuses of the [[University of California]] system. Current topics of research carried out at Lick include [[exoplanets]], [[supernovae]], [[active galactic nuclei]], [[planetary science]], and development of new [[adaptive optics]] technologies.

In 2015, [[Google]] donated $1&nbsp;million to the observatory over two years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://astronomynow.com/2015/02/10/google-gives-lick-observatory-1-million/|title=Google gives Lick Observatory $1 million – Astronomy Now|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-11}}</ref>

In August 2020, the observatory was in danger of being destroyed by the rapidly growing [[SCU Lightning Complex fires]]. Firefighters were on standby at Lick Observatory to defend the buildings if necessary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/Lick-Observatory-scu-lightning-fire-calaveras-15496509.php|title=The 132-year-old Lick Observatory threatened by SCU Lightning Complex Fire|date=19 August 2020|access-date=19 August 2020|author=Alyssa Pereira|website=sfgate.com}}</ref> As of the evening of August 19, 2020, the fire was on observatory property and moving quickly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CEF1J2kjiUf/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/lickobservatory/2379541751670908191 |archive-date=2021-12-23 |url-access=subscription|title=News as of 5pm|publisher=Instagram|author=Lick Observatory|date=19 August 2020|access-date=19 August 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> While the residences on Mt. Hamilton sustained some damage during the following night, the telescopes and domes survived.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.ucsc.edu/2020/08/mt-hamilton-fire.html|title=UC's Lick Observatory threatened by fire|author=Tim Stephens|date=20 August 2020|access-date=20 August 2020}}</ref>