The moon could be perfect for cutting-edge telescopes — but not if we don't protect it

An illustration of a large telescope suspended in side a crater on the moon.

Space scientists are eager to protect the option of doing astronomy from the moon.

There are plans in the works to place astronomical hardware on the lunar landscape such as super-cooled infrared telescopes, a swath of gravitational wave detectors, large Arecibo-like radio telescopes, even peek-a-boo instruments tuned up to seek out evidence for "out there" aliens.