Oh man, I love visiting the Lick Observatory. The drive is beautiful, but even more so, the history of discovery there is awe inspiring. It continues to be an important part of this country's space exploration program. It is just terrible that the UC system is looking at shutting it down. And it only takes about 1.2 million dollars per year to operate. That's a drop in the bucket for the UC budget. That, plus it is right there on the edge of one of the most technologically advanced and richest part of the US, the Silicon Valley. How could they just abandon Lick Observatory? Makes me sad.