Post on 31-Dec-2016
transcript
Abstract
This is a research paper that will attempt to highlight the long history of astronomy in Hawaii. It will
start with the history of the first inhabitants of the Hawaiian Island and briefly cover the astronomy, astrology
and religious connections to the stars of the Hawaiians. After the brief description of the ancient Hawaiians
beliefs and practices the paper will move onto the subject of more modern pursuits of astronomy in Hawaii. In
the modern pursuits of astronomy the paper will cover observatories from the first modern telescope and
observatories to the transition to the higher mountain tops of the present day observatories.
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Hawaiian Astronomy, Astrology, Navigation and Religion
2.1 Hawaiian Astronomy and the Calendar
2.2 Stars and Hawaiian Astronomy
2.3 The Stars of Hawaii and Astrology
2.4 The Theological Creation of Hawaii “In the Beginning”
2.5 Hawaiian Culture Conclusion
3.0 Western Astronomy comes to Hawaii
3.1 King Kalakaua and the First Hawaii Telescope
3.2 In 1910 Halley’s Comet Sparks Community Interest
3.3 Another Halley’s Comet Observer in 19103.4 Radio Astronomy 1940
3.4 Amateur Astronomy takes hold in Hawaii
3.5 Kilolani and the Hall of the Pacific Life
4.0 The Move to Higher Ground
4.1 Radio Astronomy 1940
4.2 The Quest for Transparent Sky
4.3 Hawaii’s First Solar Observatory
4.4 Haleakala: The Move to a High Mountain
4.5 Mauna Loa, island of Hawaii
4.6 Haleakala, 1962
4.7 A Dream Comes True on Haleakala
5.0 Evolution of Astronomy on Mauna Kea
5.1 Local Needs and Science Meet
5.2 Early Historical facts on Mauna Kea
5.3 The Institute for Astronomy begins
5.4 Driving on Mauna Kea
5.5 Utilities on Mauna Kea
5.6 Current Mauna Kea Observatories and Support Facilities
5.7 The Mauna Kea Weather Center
6.0 A Brief Look at Mauna Kea’s Observatories
6.1 The University Of Hawaii .6m and 2.2m Telescope Built in 1968-1970
6.2 The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility Built in 1979
6.3 The Canada France Hawaii Telescope Built in 1979
6.4 The United Kingdom Infrared Telescope 1979
6.5 W.M. Keck Observatory 1992-1996 6.6 The Subaru Telescope 1999 6.7 The Gemini Northern Observatory 1999 6.8 The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory 1987
6.9 The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope 1987
6.10 The SubMillimeter Array 2002
6.11 The Very Long Baseline Array 1992
7.0 Today’s Observatories on Haleakala
7.1 The Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS) 7.2 MAGNUM is an acronym for Multicolor Active Galactic Nuclei Monitoring
7.3 LURE Observatory’s Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR)
8.0 Summary
9.0 Reference
1.0 Introduction
This is an attempt to document Hawaiian astronomy and the observatories past and present. Naturally
the story of astronomy and observatories in Hawaii would have to start with the first inhabitants. Astronomy
was a part of the Hawaiian culture. Even the commoner knew the names of the stars and planets, and used the
moon and stars to tell the month and day of the year. Astronomy also influenced religion and astrology.
This paper will cover all known and documented observatories including the first observatories on the
islands of Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii the Big Island. I will include such information as how each island’s early
observatories were planned and in some cases were built and staffed, along with information on the planning
and construction of support facilities and the infrastructure needed to support the observatories on each island.
In the case of current observatories it is necessary to only include a brief description of each, since the current
observatories are easily accessed by the internet. Further information can be found through the links at the end
of each observatory description.
2.0 Hawaiian Astronomy, Astrology, Navigation and Religion Before we can discuss the Hawaiians specifically we need consider the fact that the Hawaiians were not
originally from the Hawaiian Island. These were a people with an already rich history of migration that spanned
the Pacific Ocean. There are 12000 miles of ocean between Singapore and Panama, with thousands of islands to
populate.
The islands near Asia are large and closely spaced. The farther west into the Pacific that you travel the
islands becomes smaller and sparser. In modern time the islands of the Pacific are divided into three groups:
Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. The Eastern Oceania is Polynesia, a triangular area of many islands. The
corners of this triangle are the islands of New Zealand, Easter Island and Hawaii with many islands in this
triangle. Within this triangle live a people of a common culture, common language, and common appearance.
Captain Cook called it the “most extensive nation on earth”.
Three thousand years ago Polynesians were living in Samoa and Tonga. A thousand years later they
reached Tahiti, the Tubuai-Austral Islands, the Tuamotus, and the Marquesas. A thousand years ago Hawaii was
settled. For many years there have been competing theories of how these islands were settled. Two competing
theories were proposed. The first “drifting” was discounted due to the computer simulations of ocean currents
showed that travel was only possible along the equator but not across it.
The second theory is based on ancient chants and legends and songs that spoke of two way travel
between all of the islands. This view was enhanced by the voyage of the Hokule’a in 1976. The Hokule’a was a
sailing canoe made with modern day material with the goal of proving that navigation north and south was
possible without the means of modern navigational tools. The ancient navigators left no written accounts of how
to do this type of navigation, so the Polynesian Sailing Society enlisted the help or a master navigator from
Satawal in the Central Carolines of Micronesia. Not knowing the stars between Hawaii and Tahiti the Master
Navigator and his understudy used the Bishop Museum Planetarium to learn the stars for a north south trip. The
voyage of the Hokule’a made the journey from Hawaii to Tahiti in 33 days proving it could be done. (
Kyselka,1987)
Some of the Hawaiian names for the stars and their meanings are clearly further evidence for the
Hawaiians using the stars for navigation. The names for stars over the islands of Hawaii as Hokule’a for
Arcturus and in Tahiti A’A for Sirius, “Hoku-paa” for Polaris and “New’e” for the upright Crux. These four
stars alone give the north south orientation while the stars over Hawaii and Tahiti depict the proper latitude.
This of course is an over simplification of how and what the Master Navigators used to navigate between the
islands of Polynesia. This brief description of how the stars were used in navigation is only a small part of the
Hawaiians view of the stars. ( Kyselka,1987)
Hawaiian astronomers and most common people understood the difference between the stars and the
planets. The planets were called Hoku-aea or Hoku-hele and the fixed stars were called Hoku-paa. The planets
were given various names according to their position in the eastern or western sky, the same way as we speak of
the morning and evening star. If the planet was in the eastern or morning star it was generally called “Iao” or
“Manalo”. If the planet was in the Western sky or evening star it was called “Na-holo-holo” Some of the planets
had their own name regardless of their position in the sky. Mercury was called “Ukali” and “Kawela”, because
it followed close after the Sun. Venus was called “Mananalo” and “Hokukoa” when in the morning sky and
“Naholoholo” when in the evening sky. Mars like other red stars was called “Hoku-ula” and more specifically
“Holo-holopinae”. Jupiter was called “ Kaawela” and “Ikaika”(Handy et al. 1965)
2.1 Hawaiian Astronomy and the Calendar
The Hawaiians had a calendar that spanned a 365 day year. The Sun was named “La” and the Moon was
named “Mahina”. Mahina was also the word describing the month. The month was based on the Moon moving
across the sky changing from a slender crescent to a full Moon and then back to a crescent in a period of
between 29 and 30 days. Each change in the Moon during this period was given a distinct name. Starting with
the name of “Hilo”, for the day of the new Moon low in the west and ending with “Hoku” the day of the full
Moon, and back to “Hilo”. There were thirty names in all and but only twenty nine days were used in some
months.
Making the months agree with the Moon or the Sun has always been a challenge for calendar makers as
was the Hawaiian calendar. The month contains 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds. In the year
there are 365.24218979+ days. You can calculate yourself, the number of days in the year twelve times, with
10.875142+ days leftover. Now they had twelve months of either 29 or days with names for each month. They
also found a cycle of 19 years in which they were allowed to have a 13th lunar month. In the intervening years
they lumped the extra days with the 12th month, until the coming of the first new moon at the appearance of the
Pleiades made it possible to start the first month of the New Year. With Pleiades was visible in the November
sky all new that this was a great time of celebration at time called Makahiki.
The following names are the names of the 30 lunar days.
1. Hilo New Moon
2. Hoaka
3. Ku-kahi (Time for sacrifice)
4. Ku-lua (Second day for sacrifice)
5. Ku-kolu (Third day for sacrifice)
6. Ku-pau (Last day for sacrifice)
7. Ole-ku-kahi (Ole-ku Not time for sacrifice)
8. Ole-ku-lua
9. Ole-ku-kolu
10. Ole-ku-pau (end of Ole-ku)
11. Huna
12. Mohalu
13. Hua
14. Akua
15. Hoku (full moon)
16. Mahealani
17. Kulu
18. La’au-ku-kahi
19. La’au-ku-lua
20. La’au-pau
21. Ole-ku-kahi
22. Ole-ku-lua
23. Ole-pau
24. Kaloa-ku-kahi
25. Kakoa-ku-lua
26. Kaloa-pau
27. Kane
28. Lono
29. Mauli
30. Muku (Crescent Moon) (Handy et al. 1965)
The translations of the words are missing but from what I can make out describe the horn in the moon of
the fact that the horn is no longer visible. Other various words were used to describe the roundness/ shape of the
Moon.
2.2 Stars and Hawaiian Astronomy
The Hawaiians recognized that the star existed in groups were Pleiades was called “Huihui” and
signaled the beginning of “Makali’I “ the new year. The name Makali’I was also used for the twins Castor and
Pollux, the two stars called “Nana-mua” the one that leads and “Nana-hope” the one that follows. The three
stars in the Orion belt and sword were called “Na Kao”. The big dipper was named “ Na Hiku”.
There were virtually hundreds of Hawaiian names of stars but only about 120 remain known today. The
stars were being recorded by missionaries most without knowledge of astronomy and the western names of the
stars. Instead of presenting a list of stars they will be introduce in reference to what the significance or are used
for in day to day life of the Hawaiian. (Hardy et al. 1965)
2.3 The Stars of Hawaii and Astrology
Astrology in Hawaii can be compared to that of many other ancient civilizations we will learn
from one such Hawaiian Astrologer named Laukahikupua that the astrologers were regular in their observations
every morning for the well-being of the throne and of the people, because with them lay the question of right
and wrong, of life and death in the community.” On the birth of a ruling family member’s son the astrologer
would pick the ascending morning star which would preside over the destiny of the future chief. Sometimes the
boy would take the stars name such as Hikulua, Red Star or the stars name would be changed to a chief whose
exploits brought him fame. This was a common practice in the Hawaiian culture.
An example of astrological predictions is cited by Kupahu. The motion of Jupiter , one of whose names
was Ikaika or brilliant among the Hawaiians, foretold the fall of the island of Kauai. This star, indeed, is one
that revealed the voluntary submission of the king of Kauai to Kamehameha I. The astrologer saw Ikaika
approach very close to Kaumualii’s star and he predicted the surrender of Kaumualii, King of Kauai , which
actually followed.
The complicated duties of an Astrologer-priest involved the announcement of the proper times for
agricultural pursuits, hunting, ocean voyaging, and all other important matters. Kilokilo as the Astrologers were
known the word being derived from the” kilo” (look at earnestly) was considered to be a seer, wizard, prophet,
judge. Another important task was to regulate the lunar calendar and set the days for various religious
observances. I will list some of the events in the year that correspond to the month in the lunar calendar.
(Makemson 1941)
1. Makalii, December-January: kona (south) winds; plants die; new leaves appear
2. Kaelo, January-February: ground worm appears; plover plump; persons on this month affectionately
disposed.
3. Kaulua, February –March: mullet spawn; persons in this month are brave, but of the violent type.
4. Nana, March-April: Malolo (flying fish) swarm; persons born in this month are of a trustful disposition.
5. Welo, April-May; end of the winter; a man born in Welo will be a skilled diviner and his children will
be eminent.
6. Ikiiki, May-June: Pleiades sets at sunrise; persons born in this month will fond of agriculture
7. Kaaona, June-July: season for opelu fishing; persons born in this month will be favored and sought after.
8. Hinaia-eleele, July-August: ohia fruit ripen; persons born in this month will be lazy and pleasure
seeking.
9. Hilinehu, August-September: ohia fruit abundant; persons born in this month will be mischievous and
fond of fishing and agriculture.
10. Hilinama, October-November: sugar-cane tassels appear, persons born in this month the same as in
Hilinehu.
11. Ikuwa, October-November: end of kau (dry season); persons born in this month will be loud of voice
and will make good heralds.
12. Welehu, November-December: as season of sports and the new year festivities; this month is auspicious
for the birth of a person of either sex; the will be fuitfull.
The observatory of a “Kilo Kilo” was a platform of stone commanding a wide sweep of the eastern horizon.
Observations were made from a platform warmed in the early morning, just before dawn dimmed the
tropical radiance of the stars. Here, warmed in a cloth or “tapa” robe in he scanned the horizon noting the
upward progress of the morning star, remarked on the positions of the planets in the various constellations,
then studied the phase of the Moon. All of this information was then mentally correlated to the lunar month
with the calendar based on the morning star.
All of this information gathered during his hours of observations must be committed to memory for the
future reference since there was no system of recording his observations. Possibly some spectacular observation
of a comet or the appearance of a brilliant new star would be carved into a piece of coral rock to record the
event. Some of the petroglyphs are still seen on the island of Hawaii. (Makemson 1941)
2.4 The Theological Creation of Hawaii “In the Beginning”
Long ago before anyone can remember there were no stars in the sky. Sky was the god Wakea and
Earth, the goddess Papa. The gods, man and wife who loved each other, held each other in a tight embrace.
The children were caught in the middle in the darkness. The children longed to see the light so they could
see contrast and distinguish substance from the void. So oppressive was the Sky and earth the leaves on the
trees were flattened as they are today.
One of the rebel gods suggested that they destroy their mother and father so they might attain their own
identities.
But wiser heads prevailed. The young god Kane said “Let us separate Earth and Sky, mother and father
in a way that we will not suffer from the guilt from their parents deaths”. A plan that all agreed with.
First to try to separate Earth from Sky was the Mighty Ku. He felt as though he was equal to the task of
separating Earth from Sky and that he would bring light to the children of the gods. Ku went forward and
planted his feet firmly on the Earth goddess Papa with his hands firmly against the Sky god Wakea. Ku
prepared himself to press Earth and Sky apart, but no matter how hard he pushed he could not separate them
and it was still darkness.
Next to try was the mighty Kanaloa. He hand confidence and felt himself to be stronger than his brother
Ku. Kanaloa went forward heroically planning his feet against the Earth goddess Papa and placed his hands
firmly against the Sky god Wakea. Thinking great thoughts. He took several deep breaths and flexed his
knees. Kanaloa at the right moment pressed upon the Sky and strained and sweated under the exertion until
he could no longer push. Like his brother Ku he had also failed and it was still dark.
The next to go forward was the mighty Lono. Like the other gods he placed his feet against the Earth
goddess Papa, and his hands against the Sky god Wakea. Preparing himself much the same as the other gods
before him he felt confident that he would be able to separate the Sky and Earth. Lono strained and
struggled until he was unable to continue. He too had failed just like the others and it was still darkness.
At last the greatest of the young gods, Kane, went forth, filled with a sense of manifest destiny that
comes in knowing the he would be able to separate the Earth and Sky and bring light to his brother and
sisters.
Kane went forth heroically, placed his feet against the Earth goddess Papa and the Sky god Wakea. Praying
and thinking great thoughts he prepared himself to do what no one else had been able to do. Placing his feet
against the Earth goddess Papa and the Sky god Wakea he pressed upward with all the power he could
summon. Kane grunted and groaned and shook under the burden of the heavens, he pushed so hard that the
veins stood out from the sides of his neck.
But try as the might the mighty Kane failed like his brothers Lono, Kanaloa and Ku and was unable to
separate Earth and Sky. They were still in darkness.
“Why?” Kane wondered, “Why am I unable to perform this task?” Kane thought and thought then he
tried another way. This time Kane would lay down with his back to the Earth goddess Papa and place his
feet on the Sky god Wakea. He shook and trembles and slowly the Earth and the Sky were separating.
Suddenly light flooded in and darkness was no more.
The children of the gods were delighted and began to explore. They explored far and wide. Hina,
goddess of the moon, explored so far that she ended up in the sky.
The sun shone by day and the moon by night. But there were no stars in the sky.
Wakea, arced in the sky would cry and bemoan his fate. “What have we done to deserve this cruel
treatment from our children?” He tears are the warm gentle rains that fall on the islands. Earth goddess Papa
shudders and sighs, and sobs, bemoaning her fate of separation. Those are the earthquakes that rock the
islands and her tears are the gentle mist that roll up in the mountain valleys.
The children of the gods looked up and saw their father was unadorned and felt compassion. They
picked up stars from the ground and put them in a basket. From that basket they took the stars, one by one
and placed them in the heavens. They made the brightest star to travel over Tahiti, and they made blue white
Spica to travel over Samoa. They left the basket in the heavens, too a star group we know as Corona
Borealis.
If bright stars mark the important islands, then what islands must lie beneath the path of bright stars in
the north, that star right off of the curve of Na-hiku, “The Seven?” Important islands must they be, for also
traveling over that island group is a “cluster of little eyes,” Na-huihui-a-Makalii.
And so it may be that it was the stars that suggested to the children of old in their southern islands that land
might lie to the north.
For the earth is ocean. And rising everywhere in it are islands. Go find the islands.
( Kyselka 1987)
2.5 Hawaiian Culture Conclusion
Few cultures have made more practical use of this knowledge than did the ancient Hawaiians. They
used the movements of the Sun, Moon, stars and planets to tell time and keep a calendar but also used them
to navigate the Pacific Ocean. The sky was their religion and the Astrologers used the sky as a guide in their
day to day lives.
3. Western Astronomy comes to Hawaii
In the post Captain Cook era interest in astronomy continued thanks to King Kalakaua who
reigned over Hawaii from 1874 to 1891. In 1880 King Kalakaua was planning a trip to the western world and
wrote to Captain R.S. Floyd of his interest in establishing a observatory in Hawaii. On his trip to learn about the
west King Kalakaua sailed to San Francisco, where he could visit the observatory in nearby Lick Observatory in
San Jose.
In the first year of King David Kakakaua’s reign, a British expedition arrived in December of 1874, on
the HMB Scout. The Captain of the ship Captain G.L.Tupman was a well known astronomer who came to study
the Transit of Venus in 1874.
Figure 1 King Kalakaua
When the astronomers set up their telescopes on Punchbowl Street in downtown Honolulu it sparked
curiosity in the common man walking by. Soon there were lines at each telescope so long that the astronomers
were unable to work. Finally a wall was constructed around the site to keep everyone out. Observations were
also made from Waimea, Kauai.
Figure 2. The expedition waits for the Transit of Venus. Photo Courtesy of Walter Steiger
Figure 3. Map showing transit over Hawaii NASA Astrophysics Data System
As it turned out the expedition was unsuccessful in purpose. The problem came when trying to measure
the solar parallax or Venus and the Sun. The film used to image the transit was of such a poor resolution that the
edges of the images blurred making it impossible to measure with repeated accuracy. (Tupman, 1878, RAS,
509to513 )
3.1 King Kalakaua and the First Hawaii Telescope
King Kalakaua’s interest in astronomy was more than likely peeked by his visit to the Lick Observatory
in San Jose California. While in England in 1883 he purchased the first telescope for Hawaii. A five inch
refractor and mount were delivered in 1884. The telescope and mount were installed at Punahou School, a
private school established by the missionaries. A dome was installed above Pauahi Hall once everything was
installed it was not long until the poor quality of the mount made the telescope almost unusable except for the
most basic viewing.
Later in 1956 this telescope was moved to the newly constructed Mc Neil Observatory and Science
Center.
Figure 4 Punahou School Dome Photo courtesy of Bishop Museum
3.2 In 1910 Halley’s Comet Sparks Community Interest
Around the turn of the twentieth century Halley’s Comet was calculated to return. As today this is an
astronomical event that interest both the scientific community as well the general public.
So inspired was the Kaimuki Community Improvement Association that they raised money and donated
land to build an observatory. The observatory site was built on Ocean View Drive in Kaimuki, a suburb of
Honolulu near Diamond Head. A six inch refractor manufactured by Queen & Company of Philadelphia was
installed in the new observatory along with a Seth Thomas Sidereal clock and a fine three inch meridian passage
telescope. The new observatory was operated by the newly founded College of Hawaii which later became the
University of Hawaii. The new observatory was up and running in time to observe Halley’s Comet.
Unfortunately the new telescopes were of poor quality and the telescope was unable to perform any real
scientific work.
Figure 5 Barbara Jay with 6” Refractor, Photo courtesy of Walter Steiger
Figure 6 College of Hawaii Observatory, Courtesy of Bishop Museum
Figure 7 Courtesy of Bishop Museum
In 1916 a physics Professor, Arnold Romberg of the College of Hawaii joined forces with Frank E.
Midkiff, a science instructor at Punahou School. Together they made observations of Mars at its close
opposition. They moved the superior Punahou telescope to the Kaimuki Observatory, and there it stayed for the
next forty years. It was used by persons from the College of Hawaii, and others. During 1917 to 1918 the
telescope was used regularly by R.W. French, a sergeant in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, and E.H. Bryan, Jr.,
of the Bishop Museum, both charter members of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, to
observe variable stars. During the following decades, the Kaimuki Observatory with the Punahou telescope was
used for education and public viewing. John S. Donaghho, a professor of mathematics and astronomy at the
University of Hawaii and Mr. Bryan took the leading role in tending to the observatory. The ravages of time and
termites eventually took their toll, and in 1958 the badly deteriorated structure of the Kaimuki Observatory was
demolished.
3.3 Another Halley’s Comet Observer in 1910
Another smaller temporary observatory was set up on the ocean side of Diamond Head not far from the
College of Hawaii Observatory. The Comet Committee of the Astronomical and Astrophysical Society of
America sponsored an expedition to Hawaii to study Halley’s Comet. Professor Ferdinand Ellerman of the Mt.
Wilson Observatory was the only man on this expedition. Professor Ellerman was assisted by the Coast Guard,
College of Hawaii and the United States Weather Bureau in setting up his temporary observatory
.
Figure 8 Building the temporary observatory, Courtesy of Bishop Museum
Figure 9 Temporary Observatory with little girl at scope, Bishop Museum
Figure 10 Halley’s Comet Photographed by Professor Ellerman 1910 at Diamond Head,
Courtesy of Bishop Museum
These are some very fine images of Halley’s Comet.
3.4 Amateur Astronomy takes hold in Hawaii
In the 1930s and 1940s a number of amateur astronomers felt the need to form and organize the
availability of astronomical information tailored to Hawaii. E. H. Bryan, Jr., in response to this need wrote a
booklet entitled “Stars Over Hawaii” in1955. It contained a star chart for each month for the latitude of Hawaii.
It also contained, in addition to basic astronomical information, some material on Polynesian astronomy, and an
interesting discussion of the path of the Sun at this latitude.
There are times in Hawaii when the Sun passes directly overhead, which occurs nowhere else in the
United States. This book was widely read and certainly must have had a great impact on astronomical education
in Hawaii. Bryan also started monthly publication in a local newspaper of the current star chart and a
description of astronomical phenomena for the month, a tradition that was continued until this day by the
Bishop Museum Planetarium Director George Bunton. Bryan also authored numerous popular articles on
astronomy in Hawaii. Professor Steiger recalls his frequent hosting of star-gazing at the Kaimuki Observatory,
it is his opinion that E. H. Bryan, Jr., more than any other individual, served to inform and stimulate public
interest in astronomy during the early decades of the twentieth century.
The idea for the formation of the Hawaiian Astronomical Society began in 1948. Regular meetings
began in 1953 at McKinley High School. In June 1954 the public was invited to view Mars through amateur
telescopes in Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. Public response was very enthusiastic. The close approach of Mars in
1956 prompted a second open house and, again, the telescopes were literally mobbed. The society needed a
creative leadership, which appeared in late 1956. Dr. Earl G. Linsley, retired director of the Chabot
Observatory of Mills College had come to spend Christmas with his nephew, Dr. Linsley Gressit of the Bishop
Museum. Under Dr. Linsley’s guidance the society flourished. Many distinguished scientists gave talks to the
society, and he himself was a frequent and popular contributor. Dr. Linsley’s enthusiastic promotion of a
planetarium and observatory at the Bishop Museum for the entertainment, enlightenment, and education of the
public was successful in raising the necessary financial support from the community. A mission statement from
the archives of the Bishop Museum reads;
3.5 Kilolani and the Hall of the Pacific Life
On November 11, 1960, construction began on the Planetarium-Observatory, the first new Museum
building since the completion of the Konia Hall in 1925. This unit, named Kilolani, “closely observing the
heavens”, was dedicated on December 12 and opened to the Public on December 18, 1961. This educational
facility was designed specifically to satisfy the need of Hawaii’s youth and adults for instruction in and the
appreciation of astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration.
From 1962 until his retirement in 1980, George W. Bunton directed the Kilolani Planetarium. During
these exciting years of the dawning of the space age, Honolulu was fortunate to have a person with the
knowledge, skills, creativity, enthusiasm, and ability to communicate that Bunton had as the voice of
astronomy. Many hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren, local citizens, and visitors from all over the world
have had their horizons extended by this facility.
Figure 11 Planetarium construction, Bishop Museum
Figure 12 Kilolani Observatory Courtesy of Bishop Museum
Figure 13 Kilolani Dome Present Photo Ken Archer
Figure 14 Inside Dome with Scope and Mount, Courtesy of Ken Archer
The Bishop Museum Observatory and Planetarium are still in operation. Over the last eight years there
has been discussion about tearing down these structures and replacing them with a more modern facility.
However, more projects exist than funding. Now the observatory has been cleaned up and the scope and mount
taken down and cleaned. It is still a very usable facility that has many years of use left in it.
4.0 The Move to Higher Ground
4.1 Radio Astronomy 1940
Radio astronomy was introduced to Hawaii by Grote Reber. After the discovery of cosmic radio
emissions by Car Jansky in 1931, one of the first to investigate these emissions was Grote Reber. Reber had a
radio telescope in his backyard in Wheaton, Illinois. In 1940 Reber came to Hawaii to take advantage of the
unique geophysical conditions. Placing his antenna on top of Haleakala, a 10,000 foot mountain on the island of
Maui, he hoped to use the surrounding ocean as a reflector so that the antenna received both the direct signal
from the cosmic radio source and the signal reflected from the ocean, forming a “Lloyd’s Mirror” type of
interferometer. He built his antenna and placed it on a circular track so it could be rotated in any direction.
Grote Reber was assisted by students at the local Maui Technical School. Later the school was renamed
Maui Community College. The structure was made from welded steel and wood truss supports. Unfortunately
the antenna did not perform as well as Reber had expected, the unevenness of the ocean did not provide a
specular reflection. Reber stayed on Maui until 1955. In 1957 the antenna collapsed under the heavy weight of
ice deposited there by a storm.
Figure 15 Grote Reber’s Radio Telescope Courtesy of Walter Steiger
4.2 The Quest for Transparent Sky
Soon after joining the faculty of the “University Of Hawaii Department Of Physics” in 1953, Professor
Walter Steiger began to think about the unique potential of Hawaii’s high mountains for observations of the
Sun, and it became his goal to establish a solar observatory on the top of one of the mountains. There were three
high mountain tops in Hawaii: Mauna Loa 13,680 ft. (4170 meters), and Mauna Kea 13,784 ft.(4201meters), on
the island of Hawaii, and Haleakala at 10,025 ft.(3056 meters) on the island of Maui. Mauna Loa is an active
volcano that had a very difficult access and was deemed unsuitable. Mauna Kea, volcanic in origin is
considered dormant or extinct, as are most of Hawaii’s mountain top volcanoes. But like Mauna Loa, it was
very remote and without access or electric power. Haleakala, although lower by over 3655 ft. (1114 meters)
than Mauna Kea, was still quite high as compared with other solar observatories around the world. Only the
High Altitude Observatory at Climax, Colorado, at 11,000 ft. (3352meters) was slightly higher. The great
advantage of Haleakala it was accessible by a paved road and had existing commercial power to the summit.
Site testing began in 1955 with the assistance of graduate student John Little.
Figure 16 John Little using the Evans-type sky brightness Photometer, Courtesy of Walter Steiger
The crucial parameter for solar coronal studies is the brightness of the sky immediately adjacent to the
solar disk. The results of a year’s measurement with an Evans-type sky brightness photometer showed that
Haleakala was an outstanding site, not only in terms of sky transparency but also in the number of clear days
per year. Unfortunately, funding for planning and constructing an observatory were not available at that time.
4.3 Hawaii’s First Solar Observatory
In 1956, planning began for the “International Geophysical Year 1957-58” which placed Hawaii in a
perfect position, both in terms of latitude and longitude, for a number of geophysical observations in a
worldwide network. This is when IGY provided the backing and some modest funds to begin projects. A solar
observatory in Hawaii was very key to the work of the IGY but there was neither time nor funds to develop one
on Haleakala. If coronal studies were forgone, a sea-level site could be suitable, a site was found on the Island
of Oahu at Makapuu Point at about 300 ft. (91 meters) above sea level. Fortunately, a small concrete building
had been left abandoned by the telephone company, this was the building used for the first solar observatory in
Hawaii, and several experiments were installed and operating by the official beginning of the IGY, July 1, 1957.
Figure 17 The University of Hawaii Solar Observatory, 1967, you can see the solar radio noise 10-ft dish is at the left. The heliostat mirror is at the left end of the building. On the roof, covered by a tarp, is the old Kaimuki Observatory telescope.
Courtesy of Walter Steiger
Figure 18 The Heliostat mirror tracks the Sun and directs the solar beam into the building and into the telescope, Courtesy of
Walter Steiger
Figure 19 The solar telescope mounted on a rigid optical bench. On the left is a prism directing the solar beam from the outside down the optical bench. Near the center is the shutter, and to the far right is the 35mm
camera, directly in from of which is the 0.5-Angstom H-alpha filter. Courtesy of Water Steiger
A solar flare patrol telescope was set up on an optical bench inside the building with a heliostat outside
the building directing a solar beam into the telescope through a hole in the wall. The telescope employed a Halle
0.5-Ångstrom H-alpha filter and routinely took photographs of the Sun every two minutes on 35-mm film.
These films were processed daily at the university campus and scanned in a microfilm viewer. Flares and
prominences were measured and the data reported every evening via a military communications link to the
World Data Center in Boulder, Colorado.
Figure 20 Image of the Sun Taken at Makapuu Point Solar Observatory on Feburary 29, 1958 in H-alpha, Courtesy of Water
Steiger
An indirect flare detector (IFD) provided very useful data to complement the optical data or provide
indications of flare activity when the telescope was clouded out. The IFD was an experiment of the High
Altitude Observatory in Boulder, Colorado, designed and built by Robert Lee of that institution. It consisted of
two radio receivers, one tuned to 18 kHz with a long wire antenna, and the other tuned to 18 MHz with a very
directional antenna pointed towards the zenith. The low frequency receiver picked up natural radio noise
generated in the Earth’s atmosphere by lightning and propagated great distances by reflections from the base of
the ionosphere. During the onset of a flare on the Sun the increase in ultra-violet and x-radiation reaching the
Earth’s atmosphere causes an increase in the degree of ionization in the ionosphere and hence an increase in its
ability to reflect the atmospheric radio noise, resulting in an enhancement of the atmospheric radio noise
received. The high frequency receiver detected radio noise from outside the Earth’s atmosphere, referred to as
“cosmic radio noise”. In the event of a solar flare, the enhanced ionization in the ionosphere resulted in a greater
absorption of the cosmic radio noise arriving at the antenna.
Figure 21 The solar radio noise receiver. The equatorially mounted dish tracks the Sun and �olarime radio noise at 200 MHz generated by storms on the Sun, Courtesy Walter Steiger.
Around this time in 1957 there was great public interest in space and the planned launch of an earth
orbiting satellite. Planners at IGY were very unsure of their ability to locate and track the satellite after it was
launched. To accomplish the visual acquisition of the satellite, a volunteer group of citizens was established and
the operation was named MOONWATCH. For the precise visual tracking of the satellite, a worldwide network
of twelve Super-Schmidt tracking cameras was planned. In both of these operations Hawaii was in a position to
fill a crucial gap in the vast Pacific.
In early 1957 Professor Walter Steiger organized a MOONWATCH team made up of volunteers from
the community. The base of operation was Makapuu Point Observatory because of its remoteness from city
lights and access to electric power and telephone and other conveniences of the observatory. MOONWATCH
telescopes were fabricated in the Physics shop and the MOONWATCH volunteers set up a row of sturdy
pedestals on which they mounted them. After many training sessions and many delays of satellite launchings, a
satellite did appear in the Hawaiian sky, designated as a “sputnik” a Russian spacecraft! All of the volunteers
were still happy that they were indeed able to track a satellite, even a Russian one.
4.4 Haleakala: The Move to a High Mountain
In 1956 Dr. Fred Whipple of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) Cambridge,
Massachusetts, wrote a letter to Dr. C. E. Kenneth Mees in Hawaii. Dr Mees was the retired vice president for
research of the Eastman Kodak Company and the developer of the color film Kodachrome. Dr.Mees was
especially well known among astronomers because of his interest in developing special photographic emulsions
suitable for astrophotography, and his insistence that the company provide these materials to the astronomers at
cost. Dr. Whipple asked his old friend if he knew of some way a satellite tracking station could be established in
Hawaii. Dr. Mees in turn contacted Professor Walter Steiger at the University of Hawaii and he in turn made an
offer; if Professor Steiger would take the project he would donate a portion of his Kodak stock to help pay for
the cost. Professor Steiger accepted the offer not only because it was an important project, but because he could
see a way back to Haleakala, the right place for such a tracking station, and this was an opportunity for the
University to acquire land and establish a base of operations on Haleakala in preparation for the solar
observatory.
Armed with $15,000 from Kodak, Steiger and others started on construction of a small cinder-block
building with a sliding roof to house the Baker-Nunn Super-Schmidt tracking camera.
A small wood-frame building was built for living accommodations for the observers. This type of the
project would be impossibly expensive today due to the cost of planning and submitting environmental impact
statements and paying for building permits.
The next step in the project would be finding someone who would be willing to erect the structer at the
top of Haleakala, at a very remote site 50 miles from the base yard, where the temperature is bitter cold, with a
very small budget. The Contractor was Ed Ige of Kahului, Maui. Of course, the university did take all the
proper legal steps to obtain a use permit from the State of Hawaii. Today there are 18 acres set aside for the
university to use as a science preserve.
Figure 22 The satellite tracking facility completed in 1957 had a camera building with a sliding roof and a small office building. The meteor tracking camera served for six months until the Baker-Nunn Satellite Tracking Camera was installed on
August 2, 1958 Courtesy of Walter Steiger
The satellite tracking facility was ready for the camera on July 1. 1957, but the camera was not ready.
Because of the importance of the Hawaii station, SAO decided to send one of its meteor-tracking Schmidt
cameras, and with it came Dr. Richard McCrosky and a crew to install and operate the camera. This was the
first satellite tracking team.
Figure 23The meteor tracking camera, Dr. Mc Closky on the left. Courtesy of Walter Steiger
Months later, the Baker-Nunn camera arrived and was installed. Walter Lang became the first full-time
observer atop Haleakala.
SAO remains a generous patron of the facility and has enlarged and improved the original structures.
The observatory now has a spacious, comfortable dormitory for the staff.
As tracking technology gradually improved over the years, the usefulness of the Baker-Nunn cameras
gradually declined, and the tracking assignments and staff at Haleakala gradually decreased until 1976, when
the facility was shut down.
Figure 24 The Baker-Nunn Satellite Tracking Camera, Courtesy of Walter Steiger
4.5 Mauna Loa, island of Hawaii
Figure 25 Dedication of the Mauna Loa Observatory of the U.S. Weather Bureau June 28, 1956, Mauna Kea in the distance.
Courtesy of Walter Steiger
The IGY was instrumental in the establishment of the U.S. Weather Bureau/National Bureau of
Standards Mauna Loa Observatory in 1956. This facility was built primarily for long-term atmospheric studies,
such as ozone and CO2 content and distribution, and was built on the northern slope of Mauna Loa at an
elevation of 11,134 feet (3394 meters), in an area that was believed to be relatively safe in terms of future
volcanic activity. Among the first users of the facility were NBS researchers C.C.Kiess and C.H.Corliss who, at
the time of the dedication on June 28, 1956, were making high-resolution spectroscopic observations of Mars on
its close approach to Earth.
Years later the High Altitude Observatory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, built a
small solar observatory near the MLO facility. Completed in 1965, it housed a coronal patrol instrument.
Richard Hansen and Charles Garcia established the program. Garcia continued to operate the facility until his
retirement in 1991. The facility is still operational to this day, see the link below.
http://mlso.hao.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/mlso_homepage.cgi
4.6 Haleakala, 1962
Dr. Franklin E. Roach of the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colorado, who had conducted
extensive photometric studies of auroras, airglow, zodiacal light, and diffuse galactic light, became interested in
1962 by the possibility of studying these phenomena at a low latitude site. Haleakala appeared to be an ideal site
for such studies because of the atmospheric transparency established earlier, and the dark skies and easy
accessibility
Professor Walter Steiger collaborated with Roach in establishing the airglow photometry program on
Haleakala. They agreed to use the old blockhouse in which Grote Reber had once housed his equipment.
Scanning and fixed photometers were placed on the roof of the blockhouse with the electronics and recorders in
the room below. The photometers scanned the sky through narrowband interference filters centered on
important emission lines of the night airglow. Absolute photometric calibration was accomplished with the use
of a standard radioactive phosphor periodically placed in front of the photometer. Mack Mann was borrowed
from the Boulder laboratory Mack did everything from enlarging the building to installing the equipment,
getting everything working, and gathering the data.
Figure 26 The night sky photometry program was housed in a remodled WWII blockhouse formerly occupied by Grote Reber’s Radio Astronomy Courtesy of Walter Steiger
Figure 27 The airglow and zodiacal light photometers on the blockhouse. The cluster of Telescopes rotates in azimuth while
scanning the sky at various altitudes. Site Manager Alex Kowalski, 1962 . Courtesy of Walter Steiger
Once the program was established, we looked for local talent was scouted to operate and maintain the
station. The first University of Hawaii employee to be stationed full-time on Haleakala was Alexander
Kowalski, recruited from a civilian electronics job with the U.S. Army on Oahu. Like Mack Mann, Alex was a
jack-of-all-trades and, as site manager, proved to be the perfect man for the developments ahead on Haleakala.
A number of dedicated individuals worked as observers at the airglow observatory: Barry Cartmell, Leon
Offenhauser, Henry Heeseman, Roy Graham, Ronald Furukawa, and Tomeo Kametani.
Prior to the start of the airglow program, a graduate student at the University of Colorado was interested
in doing his thesis research on zodiacal light, which is sunlight scattered by dust particles concentrated in the
plane of the Earth’s orbit. Since Franklin Roach was on his thesis committee, there was no question that Jerry
Weinberg would have to come to Haleakala to make his observations. He came with great enthusiasm and
drive, and with a photometer that not only recorded the brightness of the zodiacal light but also its polarization,
a parameter that is crucial to understanding the nature of the particles that scatter the sunlight. After completing
his observations, Weinberg returned to Boulder to analyze his data and to complete the writing of his thesis. He
was awarded the Ph.D. degree for this work in 1963 from the University of Colorado. After completing the
work for the doctorate, Weinberg returned to the University of Hawaii as a postdoctoral researcher and
continued his studies of zodiacal light.
During the same period a graduate student from the University of Tokyo, Hiroyoshi Tanabe, spent a year
with the program on work that contributed to his doctorate from his university.
Figure 28 Visiting Researchers, 1963 l. to r. Prof. Masaaki Huruhata, Dr. P.V. Kulkarni, Dr. Huruhata’s daughter, Kuniko, Prof. Walter Steiger and Dr. Franklin Roach. Courtesy of Walter Steiger
The night-sky photometry program reached a high point in 1963/4, when Roach spent the full year with
Professor Steiger and were joined by airglow scientists Dr. Masaaki Huruhata, from the Tokyo Astronomical
Observatory, and Dr. P.V. Kulkarni, from the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, India. Huruhata
was supported here as an East-West Center scholar. Professor Steiger remarked “It was a very stimulating and
productive year.”
4.7 A Dream Comes True on Haleakala
The search for financial support for construction of a solar observatory on Haleakala continued.
Professor Steiger wrote “The IGY program provided a great impetus to geophysics in Hawaii, to the point that
the University felt the need for establishing an Institute of Geophysics. It was decided to combine the two
projects and include in the proposal for the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics (HIG) the construction of a solar
observatory on Haleakala. In 1961 the National Science Foundation approved the proposal and provided funds
for the construction of the observatory. Plans were prepared, a construction contract awarded, and
groundbreaking took place on February 10, 1962. The weather conditions were very favorable during the
following months and construction was completed in November 1962. In addition to the 30-foot dome, the
observatory housed dormitory space, a day room with kitchen facilities, a well-equipped machine shop, offices
and laboratories.” http://www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/mees.html
Figure 29 The Haleakala/ Mees Solar Observatory upon completion in November 1962 Courtesy of Walter Steiger
Figure 30 The Dedication ceremony of the Haleakala solar observatory was renamed the Mees Solar Lavoratory in recognition of the contributions to astronomical photography by Dr. C. E. Kenneth Mees, January 1964
During the following year, the furnishings, machinery, and the Boller & Chivens 10-foot, equatorially
mounted, octagonal spar arrived and was installed. The octagonal spar provided the new observatory with a
great deal of flexibility, it was, in effect, an eight-sided optical bench that would automatically and continuously
track the Sun with great precision. On it could be mounted a variety of optical telescopes. Initially, the flare
patrol telescope from the Makapuu Point Solar Observatory was moved to the new observatory. This was soon
followed by a k-coronameter from the High Altitude Observatory in Colorado. Along with the k-coronameter
came Richard Hansen and Charles Garcia, who later moved the instrument to Mauna Loa, as alluded to earlier
in this report.
Dedication ceremonies of the new observatory took place took place on a cold but sunny winter day in
January 1964. The facility was named the C.E. Kenneth Mees Solar Laboratory in honor of the now deceased
photographic scientist who did so much for astronomy in general and helped us get started on Haleakala. As
part of the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, the facility was informally called the HIG Haleakala Observatory.
Professor Steiger wrote: “An observatory without astronomers is but a pile of brick and cement. But
before there was an observatory no astronomer was willing to come to Hawaii. Now, at last, we had something
to offer and were successful in recruiting, for a new program in solar astronomy, the eminent astronomers John
Jefferies, Frank Orrall, and Jack Zirker. Marie McCabe soon joined them under their research grants. At this
point I bowed out of leadership of the program and invited John Jefferies to provide the leadership and direction
of the future solar physics program. It was, then, under his able direction that later the Institute for Astronomy
was formed, separate from the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, and that the spectacular developments on Mauna
Kea began – developments that in the 1950s I would not have dreamed of.”
(http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/users/steiger/index.html)
Figure 31 In Recognition of the HIGHO staff, l. to r. Richard Hansen, Chester Dilley, Roy Graham, Alex Kowalski, Jerry Weinberg, Charles Garcia, Ronald Furukawa
5.0 Evolution of Astronomy on Mauna Kea
5.1 Local Needs and Science Meet
A powerful tidal wave washed through the town of Hilo in May 1960, destroying property and severely
damaging the economy. In looking for a new industry to help save the island’s economy, the Hawaii Island
Chamber of Commerce, with the support of Governor John Burns, approached universities in the United States
and Japan with the idea of developing Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa as astronomy locales.
Dr. Gerard Kuiper, of the University of Arizona, was already working with NASA and the Department
of Defense to test sites on Haleakala and was eager to explore possibilities on Hawaii Island. While Haleakala
was considered a good site, and telescopes were subsequently developed there, Kuiper preferred to find a site
further above the cloud layer. Having flown over Mauna Kea, Kuiper became interested in its potential and
developed a plan for site testing. Mauna Loa was less favored because of the possibility of volcanic activity.
To support this testing, Dr. Kuiper persuaded Governor John Burns to provide funds to establish a jeep
trail to the summit area. In 1964, a NASA-funded 12.5 –inch telescope was installed on Puu Poliahu and
Kuiper’s team began “seeing” studies. Kuiper concluded that “The mountaintop is probably the best site in the
world – I repeat – in the world – from which to study the moon, the planets, and stars.” With this exclamation, a
new industry was born in Hawaii.
It is well understood now what Dr. Kuiper first saw. Mauna Kea is one of the finest locations in the
world for ground-based astronomical observations. Because of its location high on an island in the Pacific, the
sky above the mountain is generally cloud free. This gives Mauna Kea one of the highest proportions of clear
nights in the world, an important factor given the number of researchers requesting observing time. The stable
atmosphere at Mauna Kea, is free from disturbance caused by neighboring land forms, and allows for more
detailed observations than any other location on earth. The summit’s height above the tropical inversion cloud
layer provides summit skies that are pure, dry and free from atmospheric pollutants.
In 1965, Dr. John Jefferies’ team from the University of Hawaii and Gerard Kuiper’s team from the
University of Arizona conducted extensive tests of the skies at Mauna Kea. The two universities, along with
Harvard University, applied to NASA for funding of a new telescope on Mauna Kea. In 1965, NASA accepted
the University of Hawaii’s proposal and agreed to fund the design and construction of the telescope.
Construction of the UH 2.2-meter telescope began in the 1967.
5.2 Early Historical facts on Mauna Kea
As early as 1823 none Hawaiians visited Mauna Kea and documented in their journals of some of the
early exploration of the mountain. The first confirmed ascent of Mauna Kea by a foreigner was made in 1823 by
Joseph Goodrich. Botanist David Douglas scaled the mountain summit in 1831. Both Goodrich, Douglas made
observations of the summit cinder cones and desolate landscape. In 1892 W.D. Alexander led a surveying party
to Mauna Kea. They spent time on the summit of Lilinoe and made observations of stone cairns and land forms.
On one of the summit cones, they found a tin can that contained records of five different parties
that had visited between 1870 and 1892. In1937, Gregory and Wentworth wrote of the evidence glaciations on
Mauna Kea, describing the character of the bedrock that has been formed by the glacial ice.
(http://www.hawaii.edu/maunakea/6_education.pdf)
. 5.3 The Institute for Astronomy begins
The University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy was founded in 1967 and is responsible for research in
astrophysics and planetary science and for the development and management of the Mauna Kea Science
Reserve. University of Hawaii scientists have access to a guaranteed fraction of viewing time on all of Mauna
Kea’s telescopes.
In 1968, the State Board of Land and Natural Resources recognized the importance of Mauna Kea for
astronomy observations and leased an area of land to the University of Hawaii for a 65 year period. There is a
total of 11,288 acres of land under lease on Mauna Kea. The Science Reserve includes the lands from
approximately 12,000 ft. (3658meters) elevation to the summit.
At the close of the decade Mauna Kea advanced with the construction of two 0.6-meter telescopes,
provided to UH by the U.S. Air Force and by NASA in 1968 and 1969.
In the 1970 there was a great deal of interest in Mauna Kea from the international astronomy community.
Planning began for the mountain. The planned development of four new telescopes in 1970’s was to be
completed on the mountain within the decade. During this time, Hawaii took its place among the world’s top
astronomy centers.
Figure 32 UH 2.2 meter Telescope
On the summit, the UH 2.2 meter Telescope, the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope,
NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility and the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope were constructed to support
optical and infrared astronomy.
In 1975, the jeep trail to the summit was improved by cutting a wider road with less sharp turns. Each
telescope facility received its power by on-site generators.
To support the development of these facilities, five temporary buildings were erected at the mid-
elevation level. Here construction workers slept, ate, and acclimated to the altitude and weather.
When the testing and construction of the first telescopes began on Mauna Kea during the late 1960s,
temporary buildings and the original stone cabins at Hale Pohaku were constructed and have been used as a
construction camp and astronomy support facility. At the high elevation of the summit of Mauna Kea conditions
are created that are difficult and dangerous for those that work at and visit the summit. Driving directly from sea
level to almost 14,000ft (4267 meters) can cause hypoxia and high altitude sickness symptoms such as light-
headedness, and shortness of breath, headaches, nausea, and dehydration. In extreme cases, life threatening
conditions can occur. A facility, located at approximately 9,200 ft (2804meters), provide a place to rest and
acclimate for those who are visiting or working on the summit.
Hale Pohaku the Mid-Level Facility was completed and dedicated in 1983. Astronomers working at the
summit facilities were able to stay in the dorms at Hale Pöhaku to maintain their acclimatization to the altitude.
Dining and lounge areas provide rest and relaxation for the scientists and telescope operators. Offices, a library,
and small labs support the scientific activity which draws the astronomers to Mauna Kea.
The simultaneous construction of the Mid-Level Facility and the Visitor Information Station (VIS) was
carried out below the main lodging facilities and stone cabins. The 950sq.ft (290sq.meter) VIS facility serves as
an interpretive center and as the control point for visitors to the mountain. The VIS was developed
approximately 650 feet below the main food and lodging facilities nearest dorm. The entire area is designed to
separate the visitor and construction activities from astronomy support activities. Astronomers and support staff
work at night and must use the daytime hours to sleep and analyze the data that’s been collected during the
night. Visitors are accommodated in other facilities to allow the scientists to rest.
Below the VIS, a Construction Camp area has been developed. With the construction of the main food
and lodging facility to support active astronomy observations, construction support was moved further down the
mountain.
Figure 33 Hale Pohaku Photo IFA
Today Hale Pohaku continues to serve as the main base for astronomers and technicians.
Sleeping accommodations are provided in 72 units, designed with blackout shades and other accommodations
tailored to daytime sleepers. Astronomers, technicians and support staff gather in the common building which
includes a kitchen, dining area, lounges, offices and a library. A maintenance area serves as a headquarters for
Mauna Kea Support Services (MKSS) repair and maintenance activities. MKSS staff at Hale Pohaku includes
12 persons supporting food and lodging and 5 persons in the utility area. In the past, the use of the mid-level
facilities was filled to capacity with visiting astronomers and construction crews. Today with the technological
advances in communications, have made remote viewing a practical way of working at the summit.
Astronomers do not need to be at the summit to collect and analyze data at the observatories. The W. M. Keck
Observatory has designed its Waimea headquarters with control rooms linked with data and video lines to the
observatory on Mauna Kea. Astronomers using the Keck facilities can stay in the Keck dorms in Waimea and
perform their work without traveling to the mountain.
The VLBA is operated remotely from the VLBA headquarters in New Mexico. It is expected that over
time, more and more astronomers will be able to obtain their data without going to the summit of Mauna Kea
and without coming to Hawaii. The future needs of the lodging facilities at Hale Pohaku will experience less
demand from the astronomy community.
In 1999, the facilities at Hale Pohaku averaged 3,400 reservations a year. On average, 34 of the 72 rooms are
occupied. During special astronomical events, such as an eclipse or comet collisions with Jupiter, the facilities
are often full. Demand also increased significantly when milestones are achieved in telescope development. For
example, most of the lodging units were occupied with first light preparations for Gemini and Subaru telescopes
in early 1999.
The development of the astronomy facilities on Hawaii extended from the top of Mauna Kea to the
island towns. While telescopes are constructed on top of the mountain, and common facilities provided in the
mid-elevation area, base facilities have been developed
in Hilo and Waimea. Built in population centers, base facilities for each observatory are located near the
workforce, in comfortable climates, and near business, schools, and housing. Typically, these base facilities
contain offices, laboratories, and computer facilities to support the observations on the mountain. While most
base facilities are located in Hilo, the W.M. Keck Observatory and Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope have
chose to locate their headquarters in Waimea.
The sophisticated astronomy complex atop Mauna Kea is supported by an infrastructure system
designed to meet state of the art communication needs, personal safety, and impact the natural environment as
little as possible while accomplishing these goals.
Over time, the roadways and other infrastructure systems have been improved to provide safer and more
efficient service to the astronomy facilities. As mentioned above, the original jeep road to the summit built in
1964 was improved for safety purposes in 1975.
The gravel road that served the summit for the next decade was better, however, it still is dusty, which interferes
with observations, and can be unsafe for vehicles. (http://www.hawaii.edu/maunakea/6_education.pdf)
5.4 Driving on Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea is a very remote location. It has no public accommodations, food, or gasoline service. The
observatory buildings are usually closed to the public. There are no permanent restrooms above the Visitor
Information Station. The only public telephone above Hale Pohaku is an emergency phone in the entrance to the
University of Hawaii 2.2-m Telescope building. Vehicles should be in good working condition with good
brakes and sufficient fuel to return to Hilo or Waimea. Emergency services, including medical assistance, may
be two hours away.
The road above the OCIA to the Mauna Kea Observatories is unpaved, rough, steep, winding, and
dangerous. Only four-wheel-drive vehicles are permitted above the OCIA. The road can be traversed in about
half an hour in good weather, but extreme caution must be exercised when driving it, particularly on the
descent. Use low gear and be on the lookout for slide areas and for loose gravel. Do not drive over 25 mph. Use
headlights if it is foggy. The switchback section of the road above OCIA is particularly hazardous during the
hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, because of the low elevation of the Sun – in several sections of the
road, you must drive directly towards the Sun, so it is very difficult to see oncoming traffic”
(http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/visiting.htm#driving)
5.5 Utilities on Mauna Kea
Water for Hale Pohaku and the summit are regularly trucked from Hilo. Two-40,000 gallon water tanks
are located at Hale Pohaku. Currently, 40,000 gallons per week are trucked to Mauna Kea. An additional 15,000
gallons per week are trucked to the summit to supply the various observatories.
All sewer disposal and treatment is handled by individual cesspools and septic tank / leaching field
systems are installed at each facility. Sewer disposal is constructed and approved the State Department of
Health.
In the early years of development on the summit, power was provided to each facility by on-site
generators. In 1985 the construction of a 69KV overhead system from the Humuula
Radio Site to a substation located just below the mid-level facilities. With voltage reduced to 12.47KV, mid-
level facilities power is distributed by underground power to the summit. The construction of the distribution
system was completed in1995. The electrical system was upgraded to complete the loop at the summit and
provides service to the Sub millimeter Array. Development of the communications system began in 1985 and
was completed by the end of the 1990’s; when fiber optic lines were run to the summit.
(http://www.hawaii.edu/maunakea/6_education.pdf)
5.6 Current Mauna Kea Observatories and Support Facilities
Figure 34 Map of the Summit. ( IFA )
Figure 35 Road to the Summit with support buildings IFA
Today the VIS has been renamed to the Onizuka Visitor Information Station. The station is the link
between Mauna Kea and the world community. Travelers from around the world visit the center for an
educational experience. The Station serves as a gateway to the summit during daylight hours when the public is
allowed to take a tour on Saturdays and Sundays to the top of the summit. At night the summit is closed to the
public. The OVIS is open in the evenings to the public. At a little over 9000 ft (2743 meters) the OVIS is a
perfect place to participate in astronomy programs that are presented on a regular basis. They are “The Universe
Tonight” presented at 6PM on the first Saturday of the month and are followed up by a regular evening
stargazing party, on the third Saturday of the month the “Malalo I Ka Lani Pono” program is presented followed
by the regular stargazing party. During the school year the U.H. Hilo Astronomy Club hosts a stargazing
program on selected second Saturdays of each month. Each evening from 6 PM to 10 PM the OVIS center will
setup three telescopes for public viewing, they are a 16”(40cm) Meade, 11”(28cm) and 14”(36cm) Celestron.
5.7 The Mauna Kea Weather Center
The Mauna Kea Weather Center is vital in planning observations for each day and night. The wind,
moister and temperature play an important role in planning for a successful imaging session. The wind can
actually shake the observatory and telescope and affect tracking so a maximum wind operation is important.
Wind driven dust particles deposited on the mirror can reduce the mirror reflectivity and increase emissivity in
the infrared. The dome opening can be turned away from the wind and reduce these problems.
Knowing the moisture content in the air plays a role in determining since moisture can degrade
observations in the infrared between 1 micron and 1 mm wavelengths. In short knowing the moisture content
helps plan for the nights observing program.
The large mirrors in the observatories are best kept at temperatures within 1º C of the outside ambient
temperatures thus saving the time the mirror takes to cool had it not be kept within the 1º C range.
It is very important to monitor weather at the summit for safety reasons. The summit has a wind
limitation of 25> m s -1. Driving and working are halted in high winds and at temperatures below -45º C.
6.0 A Brief Look at Mauna Kea’s Observatories
6.1 The University Of Hawaii .6m and 2.2m Telescope Built in 1968-1970
Figure 36 University of Hawaii 2.2m Telescope Photo IFA
In 1968 the first observatory built was the University of Hawaii 24” (61cm) Cassegrain telescope f/15.2
telescope made by Boller and Chiven is located in a small dome located 150 meters from the main dome. It is
used mainly for wide field imaging and photometry. The mount has variable tracking in Right Ascension and
Declination. The telescope is generally not available to visiting observers and is controlled remotely.
The 2.2 meter (88 inch) Ritchey-Chretien is at f/10.14, and in Cassegrain mode is f/32. This scope
weights in at 2.17 tons (4780lbs). The hole in the center of the primary is 24.13” (613mm). The 2.2 meter scope
mirrors are permanently mounted, and can be converted for use as a Coude’ optical train at f/33.8. The mount is
controlled by a computer running a program similar to T-point and is accurate to 10 arcsec RMS over the whole
sky. Even though this is a very accurate mount it is CCD autoguider. This facility is used for CCD imaging in
the visual and infrared spectrum and Spectroscopy and Photometry. The telescope can be controlled on site or at
a remote location at Hale Pohaku. http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/88inch/manuals/user.pdf
Figure 37 NASA ITRF Photo IFA
6.2 The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility Built in 1979
The IRTF is a 3 meter telescope optimized for infrared observations; the observatory is operated and
managed for NASA by the University of Hawaii and The Institute for Astronomy. The facility was established
in 1979 to primarily provide infrared observation in support of NASA’s programs. IFA has a five year contract
to run the IRTF facility that is funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA.
Observing time is open to the entire astronomical community. However 50% of the observing time is
reserved for the studies of solar system objects.
The IRTF has a f/38 Cassegrain focus with two secondary mirror structures, one for tip tilt and one for
chopping. The Cassegrain instruments are mounted on a Multiple Instrument Mount, which allows four
instruments to be mounted simultaneously. The present compliment of instrument covers the 1-25 µm spectral
range.
Recently the facility upgraded the system with Adaptive Optics. The facility can be controlled over the
internet using NFSCAM and SpeX the remote controller is assisted by an operator on site.
http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/
Figure 38 Canada France Hawaii Telescope Photo IFA
6.3 The Canada France Hawaii Telescope Built in 1979
The CHFT has a mirror size of 3.58 meters. It is a classical prime focus/Cassegrain combination. The
optical configurations are changed by removing the three interchangeable upper ends of the telescope. The three
configurations are: Prime focus and coude’ f3.7, Cassegrain f/8, Cassegrain f/35/infrared. The telescope area is
temperature controlled by a chilled floor system that take 24 hrs to stabilize. The telescope is compatible with a
wide range of CCD cameras, infrared camera and spectrometers.
http://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/
Figure 39 United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (Photo UKIT)
6.4 The United Kingdom Infrared Telescope 1979
The telescope has a 3.8 meter primary mirror and is the largest telescope dedicated solely to
observations at infrared wavelengths between 1 and 30 microns. The secondary mirror is about 12 ½” (314mm)
and is supported by a custom tip tilt mirror that is controlled by computer.
Up to four instruments can be mounted below the mirror cell and can receive the infrared beam via four
positioning rotating mirrors. A mirror is also available for visual images through a TV camera or a CCD
camera used to guide the telescope.
Originally the observatory was designed as a low cost facility, however in the past years there have been
many upgrades to the telescope optics and the observatory itself. The telescope now has an Adaptive Optics
system which corrects for atmospheric aberrations and also deforms the mirror to correct for any change in the
shape of the secondary as it slews to different portions of the sky. The observatory has mirror cooling added
along with insulation of the floor so the mirror will be very close to the ambient temperature when the shutter is
opened. The instruments available are all used for imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetry.
It is owned by the United Kingdom Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council and operated,
along with the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), by the staff of the Joint Astronomy Centre, which is
located in Hilo. The operation and development of UKIRT is overseen by the UKIRT Board.
http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JACpublic/UKIRT/home.html
Figure 40 Twin Keck (Illustration by Tom Connell)
6.5 W.M. Keck Observatory 1992-1996
The twin Keck telescopes are the largest optical and infrared telescopes in the world. The mirrors are 10
meters in diameter and are composed of 36 separate hexagonal segments. Each telescope stands eight stories
high and weights 300 tons. A telescope tracks objects, sometimes for hours, across the sky as the Earth turns.
This constant movement results in slight deformations of the telescope structure despite all engineered
precautions. Without active, computer-controlled correction of the primary mirror, scientific observations would
be impossible. The telescope 36 segments are kept stable by a system of stable support structures and adjustable
warping harnesses. During observing, a computer-controlled system of sensors and actuators adjust the position
of each segment, relative to its neighbors, to an accuracy of four nanometers, or 1,000 times thinner than a
human hair. This twice-per-second adjustment effectively counters the tug of gravity. New advances in
Adaptive Optics have enhanced the resolving power of each of the Keck Telescopes. The Interferometry phase
of operation is still in the testing stages. The plan is to connect the Keck I and Keck II together along with a
planned series of small movable 1.8 meter telescopes and create a very large combined image.
There are four instruments used on the Keck telescopes. The HIRES camera is able to image a target
between 10-100 times fainter than any other similar observatory or instrument combination. LRIS is a low
resolution imaging spectrograph capable of taking the multiple spectra of up to 30 different targets
simultaneously. NRIC, the near infrared camera is said to be sensitive enough to detect a candle on the moon.
LWS. The Long Wavelength Spectrograph has spectral and direct-imaging capability in the atmospheric-
transparent windows in the 5-27 micron range.
The interior of the domes are kept at or below freezing by air conditioners that run all day long. When
the dome is opened at night the mirror is at or very near ambient temperature.
The Keck telescope is operated by the California Institute of Technology, the University of California
and NASA. The Keck I telescope began science operations in 1993; Keck II became operational in 1996.
http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/gen_info/kiosk/index.html#nextgen
Figure 41 The Subaru Telescope (Photo Subaru Web site)
6.6 The Subaru Telescope 1999
The Subaru Telescope is an optical-infrared telescope, with a mirror with an effective aperture of 8.2
meters. The telescope incorporates several revolutionary technologies to achieve an outstanding observational
performance. An active support system maintains a high mirror surface accuracy. It took 3 years to produce the
homogeneous primary mirror blank, 30 cm thick and 8.3 m in diameter, using ULE glass. It then took 4 years to
complete the fabrication of the primary mirror, drilling 261 holes for actuators on the back surface of the mirror
blank and polishing the front surface. The telescope is used in a variety of configurations which include;
Cassegrain focus, Prime focus and Nasmyth focus.
The following instruments are used by Subaru; Infrared Camera and Spectrograph, The Coronagraphic
Imager with Adaptive Optics, The Cooled Mid Infrared Camera and Spectrometer, The Faint Object Camera
and Spectrograph, The Subaru Prime Focus Camera, The High Dispersion Spectrograph, The OH Airglow
Suppression Spectrograph, and Adaptive Optics.
The dome enclosure is a cylindrical shape rather than the more common hemispherical shape. The
cylindrical shape prevents rising warm and turbulent air entering from the outside, yet it allows warm air
produced inside the enclosure to escape rapidly. The enclosure was designed and developed from hydrodynamic
tests and computer simulations, and has performed as expected since the start of observations.
http://www.naoj.org/
Figure 42 The Gemini Northern Observatory (The Gemini Gallery)
6.7 The Gemini Northern Observatory 1999 The Gemini North Observatory is a twin of the Gemini South. On any night the two observatories can be
coordinated and cover the whole sky from the northern to the southern hemispheres.
The primary mirror is 8.1 meters in diameter and is primarily used to image in the optical and infrared
spectrum, combined with Adaptive Optics the Gemini has been able to image the very center of our galaxy with
great clarity. The large and relatively thin mirror and Adaptive Optics make it possible to resolve targets in the
infrared not seen by the Hubble telescope.
In addition to the Adaptive Optics, Gemini North has four instruments; the Gemini Near-Infrared
Imager, the Gemini Near-Infrared Spectrograph, the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph, and the Mid-IR
Imager/Spectrometer.
Gemini is managed by an international group including; Australia, Brazil, Chile, Canada, England, and
the United States. http://www.gemini.edu/
Figure 43 The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO Web Site)
6.8 The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory 1987
The CSO consists of a 10.4-meter diameter Leighton dish, of hexagonally-segmented design, which
predates the Keck Observatories. The dish is protected from the sun by a compact dome which houses the
control room, instrumentation room, and observers lounge.
Heterodyne SIS receivers are available for the 230, 345, 490, and 665 GHz atmospheric windows with 3
1024-channel and 1 2048-channel acousto-optic spectrometers as backends (1 with 1.5 GHz bandwidth and
2048 channels; 2 with 500 MHz bandwidth and 1 with 50 MHz bandwidth). A single channel bolometer system
is available for all atmospheric windows from 1.3 mm to 350 microns.
A 24-element imaging bolometer array, SHARC (Submillimeter High Angular Resolution Camera), has
been commissioned at the telescope and has excellent performance. Optimized for 350 and 450 micron
continuum mapping. Higher frequency SIS receivers, a digital autocorrelator, a variety of telescope
improvements of the receivers achieve near quantum-limited performance.
The CSO is mainly used during the night time hours and the dish is never exposed to direct sunlight.
Direct sunlight will cause the segments to loose alignment.
. The telescope is operated by Caltech under a contract from the National Science Foundation and has
been in operation since 1988. http://www.submm.caltech.edu/cso/
Figure 44 The James Clerk Maxwell Observatory (Photo JCMT web site)
6.9 The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope 1987
The JCMT is the largest radio telescope capable of working at Submillimeter wavelengths and covers
wavelengths between 2mm and 0.3mm. The primary dish has a diameter of 15 meters made up of 276
aluminum panels, each of which is adjustable in order to keep the surface as near to perfection as possible. The
dish is supported by a large backing structure and support mount which was designed to minimize the flexing of
the dish as it is slewed to track the target it is observing. To protect the dish from the weather the entire
structure is enclosed in a carousel. During observing the roof and doors are opened revealing the worlds largest
piece of Gore-Tex which has been attached in front of the telescope. This is approximately 97% transparent to
millimeter wavelengths and during observing and protects the telescope from wind and dust, it also allows the
telescope to be pointed at or close to the Sun for observing the inner planets or the Sun itself.
The JCMT uses radio receiver instruments, which are designed to operate at one of the major
atmospheric windows. To minimize the background noise the instruments are cooled to just 4 degrees Kelvin.
Two major types of instruments are used on the telescope. Heterodyne instruments are used to study molecular
line emission enabling the detection of different types of molecules and determining how they are moving in
space. Continuum instruments detect interstellar dust emission enabling the determination of the mass of objects
studied. Several other devices are available that enhance the operation of the major instruments such as
polarimeters which can be used in conjunction with both heterodyne and continuum instruments to determine
magnetic field strengths and alignments.
The James Clerk Maxwell Observatory is operated by the Joint Astronomy Center for three partner
countries; UK, Netherlands and Canada. http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JACpublic/JCMT/
Figure 45 Millimeter Valley as of April 2003(Photo SMA web site)
6.10 The SubMillimeter Array 2002
The SubMillimeter Array has currently six of the eight planned antennae installed. The project is in the
final construction phase. There are plans for eight 6 meter antennae which will allow for a reconfigurable
baseline of 8 to 508 m. The array will cover all bands from 180 to 900 GHz. Provisions are being made to
include the CSO and JCMT telescopes in this array. The combined array will have a Maximum angular
resolution of 0.5” to 0.1” and a field of view of 70” to 14”. The SubMillimeter Array will allow astronomers to
look into places yet unseen by optical and mm frequencies and above. Astronomers are now looking into the
center of the Milky Way galaxy through the interstellar dust and gases that blocked our view in the past.
The SubMillimeter Array is a collaborative project of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
(SAO) and The Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Academia Sinica of Taiwan. (ASIAA) A large
science center is being constructed in Hilo for remote operation and study. http://sma-www.harvard.edu/
Figure 46 VLBA on Mauna Kea (Photo NRAO)
6.11 The Very Long Baseline Array 1992
The Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) is a system of ten radio telescopes controlled remotely from the
Array Operations Center in Socorro, New Mexico, that work together as the world’s largest dedicated, full-time
astronomical instrument. Each VLBA station consists of an 82-foot (25- meter) diameter dish antenna and an
adjacent control building which houses the local computer, tape recorders and other equipment used to collect
the radio signals gathered by the antenna. Each antenna weighs 240 tons and is nearly as tall as a ten story
building when pointed straight up. The VLBA's high resolution is an ideal tool for learning about a wide variety
of astronomical objects and processes. The VLBA provides and extremely high-resolution radio astronomy tool
for scientist to use
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation and
operated under a cooperative agreement by the Associated Universities, Inc.
http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/vlba/html/VLBA.html
7.0 Today’s Observatories on Haleakala
Figure 47 The Maui Space Surveillance System (Photo MSSS)
7.1 The Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS)
The Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS) is a state-of-the-art electro-optical facility combining
operational satellite tracking facilities with a research and development facility, the only one of its kind in the
world. The MSSS houses the largest telescope in the Department of Defense, the 3.67-meter Advanced Electro
Optical System (AEOS), as well as several other telescopes ranging from 0.4 to 1.6 meters.
The facility is operated by the U.S. Air force and has collaborated with visitor experiments. http://www.maui.afmc.af.mil/
Figure 48 MAGNUM and LURE Observatories (Photo MAGNUM web site)
7.2 MAGNUM is an acronym for Multicolor Active Galactic Nuclei Monitoring
MAGNUM has an f/9 Ritchey-Chrétien optical system with a corrected field of 33.3 arcmin in diameter.
An alt-azimuth mount is used with a tertiary mirror mounted on the Cassegrain instrument rotator. The scope
was installed in the North Dome of the University of Hawaii’s LURE facility.
Two instruments are used on the telescope;
A Multi-Color Imaging Photometer MIP) is an optical and IR camera capable of imaging over a very
wide wavelength range. A thinned 1024 x 1024 CCD is used for imaging at optical wavelengths (UBVRI) and a
256 x 256 InSb array is used for imaging at infrared wavelengths shorter than 5.6 microns (ZJHKK'L'). The
MIP will be used primarily for monitoring observations.
The Wide Field Camera (WFC) consists of an 8k x 8k mosaic of 2k x 4k thick Hamamatsu CCD’s
which cover a 20.5 x 20.5 arcmin field at optical wavelengths (VRI). The WFC is used to study gravitational
lensing of distant galaxies, and to find transient objects, such as supernovae and sources of gamma ray bursts.
The goal of MAGNUM is to discover new method of measuring distance, to study AGN’s and QSO’s.
The facility is run by The Research Center for the Early Universe, The University of Tokyo.
http://merope.mtk.nao.ac.jp/~yuki/mage.html
7.3 LURE Observatory’s Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR)
LURE, is tasked to track 16 artificial satellites. These satellites range in orbits from 400 to 20,000
Kilometers high. The missions of the target satellites include monitoring of Earth resources and climate
parameters, measurements of ocean level and temperature changes, measurement of tectonic plate movement,
and improvement of the Global Positioning System (GPS). http://koa.ifa.hawaii.edu/Lure/
LURE was developed by the University of Hawaii, Institute for Astronomy under contract with NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center.
8.0 Summary
Astronomy in Hawaii has be a very long tradition started with the first inhabitants of the islands. One
thought became clear is the fact that in the one thousand years that Hawaii has been inhabited there has always
been a desire to study the sky. Think back to the days when the Kilo Kilo’s observatory was a platform of stone
commanding a wide sweep of the eastern horizon. Now we have our platform on top of Mauna Kea with
instruments that are only limited by the imagination.
This journey from the beach where the first inhabitant stepped foot on the islands moved to King
Kalakaua’s interest in astronomy which inspired him to purchase the first western telescope for the islands. It is
evident that this King was doing what came naturally and perhaps he could be called “the father of astronomy in
Hawaii”. His vision set the stage for the future revolution in the way we see the stars.
Today’s astronomers are still considering the Hawaiian culture and the people of Hawaii as they plan
and build on Mauna Kea. What better way to say thank you to the Hawaiians than to continue study of
astronomy brought to Hawaii by their ancestors.
9.0 Reference
,Kyselka, Will 1987, An Ocean in Mind (University of Hawaii, Honolulu)
Handy, Craig H. & Emory, Kenneth P &Bryan, Edwin H. & Buck Peter H. & Hiwise John, 1965
Ancient Hawaiian Civilization ( Kamehameha School Press)
Makemson, Maud W. 1941, The Morning Star Rises (Yale University 1941)
Tupman G.L. 1878 RAS pages 509 to 513.
http://adsbit.harvard.edu/cgibin/nphiarticle_query?journal=MNRAS&year=1878&volum
e=..38&letter=.&db_key=AST&page_ind=515&plate_select=NO&data_type=GIF&type=SCREEN_GIF
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/users/steiger/index.html
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/88inch/manuals/user.pdf
http://www.hawaii.edu/maunakea/6_education.pdf
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/88inch/manuals/user.pdf
http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/
http://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/
http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JACpublic/UKIRT/home.html
http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/gen_info/kiosk/index.html#nextgen
http://www.naoj.org/
http://www.gemini.edu/
http://www.submm.caltech.edu/cso/
http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JACpublic/JCMT/
http://sma-www.harvard.edu/
http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/vlba/html/VLBA.html
http://www.maui.afmc.af.mil/
http://merope.mtk.nao.ac.jp/~yuki/mage.html
http://koa.ifa.hawaii.edu/Lure/