Mauna Kea Observatories
Alternative names | MKO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Observatory code | 568 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | Mauna Kea, Hawaii County, Mauna Kea, Hawaii, US | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 19°49′20″N 155°28′30″W / 19.8222°N 155.4749°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Altitude | 4,205 m (13,796 ft) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Established | 1956 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Telescopes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Related media on Commons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) are a group of independent astronomical research facilities and large telescope observatories that are located at the summit of
The location is near ideal because of its
Origin and background
Significantly predating the current observatories there is evidence of active astronomy on Mauna Kea in the 1901 Land Office Map of the Island of Hawaii showing the "Hawaii Astronomy Station" near the Mauna Kea summit.
After studying photos for
Other groups began requesting subleases on the newly accessible mountaintop. By 1970, two 24 in (0.6 m) telescopes had been constructed by the United States Air Force and Lowell Observatory. In 1973, Canada and France agreed to build the 3.6 m CFHT on Mauna Kea.[11] However, local organizations started to raise concerns about the environmental impact of the observatory. This led the Department of Land and Natural Resources to prepare an initial management plan, drafted in 1977 and supplemented in 1980. In January 1982, the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents approved a plan to support the continued development of scientific facilities at the site.[12] In 1998, 2,033 acres (823 ha) were transferred from the observatory lease to supplement the Mauna Kea Ice Age Reserve. The 1982 plan was replaced in 2000 by an extension designed to serve until 2020: it instituted an Office of Mauna Kea Management,[13] designated 525 acres (212 ha) for astronomy, and shifted the remaining 10,763 acres (4,356 ha) to "natural and cultural preservation". This plan was further revised to address concern expressed in the Hawaiian community that a lack of respect was being shown toward the cultural value the mountain embodied to the region's indigenous people.[12]
As of 2012[update], the Mauna Kea Science Reserve has 13 observation facilities, each funded by as many as 11 countries. It is one of the world's premier observatories for optical, infrared, and submillimeter astronomy, and in 2009 was the largest measured by light gathering power.[14] There are nine telescopes working in the visible and infrared spectrum, three in the submillimeter spectrum, and one in the radio spectrum, with mirrors or dishes ranging from 0.9 to 25 m (3 to 82 ft).[15] In comparison, the Hubble Space Telescope has a 2.4 m (7.9 ft) mirror, similar in size to the UH88, now the second smallest telescope on the mountain.[15]
Controversies
Planned new telescopes, including the Thirty Meter Telescope, have attracted controversy due to their potential cultural and ecological impact.[16][17] The multi-telescope "outrigger" extension to the Keck telescopes, which required new sites, was eventually canceled.[18] Three or four of the mountain's 13 existing telescopes must be dismantled over the next decade with the TMT proposal to be the last area on Mauna Kea on which any telescope would ever be built.[19]
With all the controversy, the building of telescopes has led to the creation of the Hawaii Night Sky Protection Act.[20] As artificial light forms a light cloud above the land, the excess light disrupts the clear pictures taken by the telescopes. On July 1, 2013, the Hawaii Night Sky Protection Act was initiated, affecting both the Big Island and Maui. A large difference between the Hawaiian islands and the mainland United States can be observed: street lighting. Almost all streets are dark as the lamps have either not been built, have been removed, or have been dimmed.
Scientific discoveries
The Mauna Kea Observatories involves thirteen large telescopes. In November 2020, in collaboration with Europe's low-frequency ARray radio telescope, Mauna Kea's Gemini observatory and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (NITF), discovered the first Super-Planet.[21] In October, 2011, the
Management
The Reserve was established in 1968, and is leased by the
Location
The altitude and isolation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean makes Mauna Kea one of the best locations on Earth for ground-based astronomy. It is an ideal location for submillimeter, infrared and optical observations. The seeing statistics show that Mauna Kea is the best site in terms of optical and infrared image quality; for example, the CFHT site has a median seeing of 0.43 arcseconds.
Accommodations for research astronomers are located at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy (often called Hale Pōhaku), 7 miles (11 km) by unpaved steep road from the summit at 9,300 feet (2,800 m) above sea level.
An adjacent visitor information station is located at 9,200 feet (2,800 m). The summit of Mauna Kea is so high that tourists are advised to stop at the visitor station for at least 30 minutes to acclimate to atmospheric conditions before continuing to the summit, and scientists often stay at Hale Pōhaku for eight hours or more before spending a full night at observatories on the summit, with some telescopes requiring observers to spend one full night at Hale Pōhaku before working at the summit.
Telescopes
Telescopes found at the summit of Mauna Kea are funded by government agencies of various nations. The University of Hawaiʻi directly administers two telescopes. In total, there are twelve facilities housing thirteen telescopes[25] at or around the summit of Mauna Kea.
- Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO): Caltech — closed 2015
- University of Hawaiʻi
- Gemini North Telescope: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina, Brazil
- NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF): NASA
- James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT): China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Canada
- Subaru Telescope: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
- Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA): Taiwan, United States
- Thirty Meter Telescope, proposed for Mauna Kea, alternatively the Canary Islands[26]
- University of Hawaiʻi, University of Arizona
- University of Hawaiʻi 88-inch (2.2 m) telescope (UH88): University of Hawaiʻi
- University of Hawaiʻi 36-inch (910 mm) telescope (Hoku Kea): University of Hawaii at Hilo
- One receiver of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA): United States
- W. M. Keck Observatory: California Association for Research in Astronomy
CSO, UKIRT, and Hoku Kea are scheduled for decommissioning as part of the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan.[27]
Opposition and protests
In Honolulu, the governor and legislature, enthusiastic about the development, set aside an even larger area for the observatory after the initial project, causing opposition on the Big Island, in the city of
The Audubon Society objected to further development on Mauna Kea over concerns to habitat of the endangered Palila, a species endemic to only specific parts of this mountain. The bird is the last of the finch billed honeycreepers existing on the island. Over 50% of native bird species had been killed off due to loss of habitat from early western settlers or the introduction of non-native species competing for resources. Hunters and sportsmen were concerned that the hunting of feral animals would be affected by the telescope operations.[30] A "Save Mauna Kea" movement was inspired by the proliferation of telescopes, with opposition believing development of the mountain to be sacrilegious.[31] Native Hawaiian non-profit groups, such as Kahea, whose goals are the protection of cultural heritage and the environment, oppose development on Mauna Kea as a sacred space to the Hawaiian religion.[32] The land is protected by the United States Historical Preservation Act due to its significance to Hawaiian culture, but still allowed development.[33]
2006 Kiholo Bay earthquake
A number of the telescopes sustained minor damage during the October 15, 2006 Kiholo Bay earthquake and aftershocks. JCMT was performing an inclinometry run and recorded the earthquake on its tilt sensors.[34] Both CFHT and W. M. Keck Observatory were operational and back online by October 19.[35][36]
Gallery
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Sunset over Mauna Kea Observatories
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At the Foot of Maunakea[37]
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Sunset at Maunakea
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Maunakea is home to a number of astronomical observatories, including Gemini North, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, operated by NSF’s NOIRLab.
See also
- Lists and comparisons
- Other major international observatories (under active development):
- Historically important observatories (not undergoing substantial development):
- Projects
References
- ^ a b "The Economic Impact of Astronomy in Hawai'i" (PDF). University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ "Home". Maunakea Observatories.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8018-8234-0.
- ISSN 0096-3402.
- ISBN 978-0-8248-1821-0.
- ^ Astronomy Now. Intra Press. 1991. p. 45.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4899-6052-8.
- ISBN 978-1-4471-2124-4.
- ISBN 978-0-8248-2006-0.
- ISBN 0-253-35655-5.
- ^ Pickles, Andrew (2003). "Timeline of Astronomy in Hawaiʻi". Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
- ^ University of Hawaii (January 2009). "Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan: UH Management Areas". Hawai`i State Department of Land and Natural Resources. Archived from the original(PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
- University of Hawaii. August 1999. Archived from the original(PDF) on September 20, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
- ^ University of Hawai`i (January 2009). "Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan" (PDF). Hawai`i State Department of Land and Natural Resources. pp. 6–1. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2012.
- ^ University of Hawaii. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
- ^ "Thirty Meter Telescope Selects Mauna Kea". Press release. California Institute of Technology, University of California, and the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy. August 21, 2009. Archived from the original on August 10, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
- University of Hawaii. October 8, 2002. Archived from the originalon June 12, 2010.
- ^ "Ruling could block Mauna Kea projects". Pacific Business News. August 8, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
- ^ PMID 26040874.
- ^ "SB2402.DOC". www.capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
- ^ "Maunakea Telescopes Confirm First Super-Planet Discovered by Radio". November 8, 2020. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ "Nobel Prize in Physics awarded for Accelerating Expansion of the Universe – W. M. Keck Observatory".
- ^ a b "History". Office of Mauna Kea Management. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
- ^ "Legislation Would Dramatically Improve Stewardship of Mauna Kea". 20 March 2022.
- ^ "Mauna Kea Observatories". Maunakea Telescopes. University of Hawaii Institute of Astronomy. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
- ^ "Thousands Take to the Streets to Protest TMT". Maui Now. Aug 10, 2019.
- ^ "Third Maunakea observatory set for decommissioning". University of Hawaii News. University of Hawaii. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
- ISBN 978-94-010-0253-0.
- ISBN 978-1-136-88347-7.
- ISBN 978-1-4020-3236-3.
- ISBN 978-1-4396-1403-7.
- ISBN 978-1-135-88972-2.
- ISBN 978-1-78238-012-2.
- ^ Davis, Gary (2007). "News from the JCMT". Canadian Astronomical Society. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ "2006 October 15 Earthquake Aftermath at CFHT". Canada–France–Hawaiʻi Telescope. January 11, 2007. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
- ^ "Earthquake Update from W. M. Keck Observatory". W. M. Keck Observatory. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
- ^ "At the Foot of Maunakea". Retrieved July 26, 2021.