mountain profile Institute for Astronomy University of Hawaii

Institute for Astronomy, Maui

clear skies above haleakala m51

Haleakala Observatory is one of the most important observing sites in the world. Lying above the tropical inversion layer it experiences superb seeing conditions and dominant clear skies. The University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy has managed this site for over 4 decades as a location for conducting dedicated astrophysical experiments. In most cases these are programs that could not be conducted anywhere else on Earth. Currently we have partners from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Pan-STARRS consortium, Space Telescope Science Institute, Tohoku University in Japan, the Air Force and others working with us on the summit.

 

Next Public Event

Kitt Peak and the Observatories of Southern Arizona

Guy Jette

Friday Jan. 18th 6:30

Kitt Peak National Observatory was the first major observatory complex when established over fifty years ago. This national observatory became a catalyst for the numerous astronomical sites of southern Arizona. The evening.s talk will discuss why and how a national observatory came to be, and why it was sited at Kitt Peak. The evening.s speaker, Guy Jette, will discuss the major observatories/telescopes in operation at this site, including the McMath Solar Telescope, which has been the largest solar telescope for fifty years. This distinction will soon pass to the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope now under construction on Haleakal.. The relationships between other telescopes in southern Arizona and those on both Haleakal. and Mauna Kea will be highlighted. The talk will include key research, from Kitt Peak.s major role in identifying the existence of dark matter to a new $100 million dollar project called Big BOSS (Baryonic Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey), a project with ties to Haleakal.'s Pan-STARRS.

http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/specialevents/Maikalani2013/Jan18.jpg

 

Haleakala The Sacred House of the Sun, Oral History
Long Range Development & Management Plans
History
Current RfP