1.   As physicists built increasingly big accelerators, and astronomers built increasingly big telescopes, Harris said, so earth scientists may be entering a new disciplinary phase.

2.   Big telescopes are still desirable, taking in more light and thus working faster, but until now their full focusing potential has been frustrated.

3.   Big telescopes are expensive.

4.   Collecting such large amounts of data is something that a professional astronomer, with limited access to big telescopes because of demand and high cost, simply cannot do.

5.   The first of the four big telescopes at Paranal is complete and has passed all of its early tests.

6.   At his home on the eastern end of Long Island, his big black telescope points past wide picture windows fronting a calm bay.