KYOTO -- Kyoto University's Kwasan Observatory hosted British rock star, Queen member and astrophysicist Brian May on the night of Jan. 27 as part of efforts to drum up support for the facility, which is currently facing financial difficulties.

Kwasan Observatory, located in the western Japan city of Kyoto's Yamashina Ward, was founded in 1929 and is known as hallowed ground for amateur astronomers. Cuts in the national government's budget have left the observatory in a difficult position, and it has turned to private companies and others for donations.

May was invited to visit the observatory by Kazunari Shibata, a former director at the facility and a professor at Kyoto University. Shibata contacted the Queen star through an acquaintance.

May is currently touring Japan with his band Queen, and used some spare time between engagements to come and visit the Kwasan Observatory. May toured the facility while listening to explanations from Shibata, and he even signed his name and the word "Forever" onto the telescope's mount.

Speaking in support of the observatory, he said, "This is the future of your children, they need to be inspired by this wonderful history of astronomy in Japan. Look after this beautiful place; keep it forever."

In a subsequent session with reporters, he continued on the theme and talked about his own motivations as a boy to pursue astronomy, saying, "I want to make sure that the next generation has the same kind of inspiration that I got when I was a kid."

(Japanese original by Satoshi Fukutomi, Kyoto Bureau)