Mauna Kea Observatory

The summit of Mauna Kea is managed by the University of Hawai'i's Institute for Astronomy. Mauna Kea is both a sacred and historical site in the Hawaiian culture and one of the most important land-based astronomy sites in the world. The location is ideal because of its dark skies, good astronomical seeing, low humidity, clean air, good weather and almost equatorial location.
Organization	University of Hawai'i Institute for Astronomy
Location	Mauna Kea, Hawai'i, USA
Coordinates	19° 45' 32.4"N, 155° 27' 22.8"W
Altitude	4205m (13,800ft)
Weather	(# of clear nights, humidity)
Webpage	http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/
Telescopes
CSO	10.4m submillimeter
CFHT	3.58m Cassegrain
Gemini North	8.1m Cassegrain
IRTF	3.0m infrared
JCMT	15m submillimeter
Subaru	8.2m optical
SMA	8 6m arrayed radio telescopes
UKIRT	3.8m infrared
VLBA receiver	25m radio telescope
W. M. Keck Observatory	2 10m optical/near infrared

The Observatories at Mauna Kea are an independent collection of the world's premier astronomical research facilities, located on the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawai'i, USA. The facilities are located in a 500-acre special land use zone known as the "Astronomy Precinct," which is located in the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. The Astronomy Precinct was established in 1967. The University of Hawai'i manages the site and leases land to several multi-national facilities which have invested more than $2 billion dollars in science and technology. The Astronomy Precinct is located on land protected by the Historial Preservation Act for its significance to Hawaiian culture. The Hawaiian creation chant tells the story of Mauna Kea as progenitor of the Hawaiian people. 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. Image File history File links KeckObservatory. ... Image File history File links KeckObservatory. ... Schematic diagram illustrating how optical wavefronts from a distant star may be perturbed by a turbulent layer in the atmosphere. ... This work is copyrighted. ... Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five volcanic peaks that together form the island of Hawaii. ... The Island of Hawaiʻi (called the Big Island or Hawaiʻi proper) is one of eight main islands that make up the U.S. State of Hawaiʻi. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... The University of Hawai`i, formally the University of Hawai`i System and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, doctoral and post-doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment training center, three university... Schematic diagram illustrating how optical wavefronts from a distant star may be perturbed by a turbulent layer in the atmosphere. ... Categories: Telescopes | Hawaii landmarks | Astronomy stubs ...

The accommodation for research astronomers are located below the summit at 9300 feet (2835 meters) above sea level, and a visitor information station is located at 9200 feet (2775 meters). The summit of Mauna Kea is so high that scientists and other visitors are advised to stay at the lower level for 30 minutes to acclimate to atmospheric conditions before reaching the summit.

Telescopes

Telescopes found at the summit of Mauna Kea are funded by government agencies of various nations. The University of Hawai'i itself directly administers two telescopes. In total there are 12 telescopes at or around the summit of Mauna Kea.

Gemini North telescope is administered by scientists from United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina, Brazil.

• Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO): Caltech
• Canada France Hawai'i Telescope (CFHT): Canada, France, University of Hawai'i
• Gemini North Telescope: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina, Brazil
• Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF): NASA
• James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT): United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands
• Subaru Telescope: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
• Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA): Taiwan, United States
• United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT): United Kingdom
• University of Hawai'i 88-inch telescope (UH88): University of Hawai'i
• University of Hawai'i 24-inch telescope (UH24): 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
  

The Subaru Telescope and the Keck I Telescope Dome.

The Subaru Telescope, the Keck I and II Telescopes, and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility.

This work is copyrighted. ... This work is copyrighted. ... The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (or CSO) is a 10. ... California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology (commonly known as Caltech) is a private, coeducational university located in Pasadena, California, in the United States. ... Categories: Telescopes | Hawaii landmarks | Astronomy stubs ... The University of Hawai`i, formally the University of Hawai`i System and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, doctoral and post-doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment training center, three university... The Gemini Observatory is an astronomical observatory consisting of 8-metre telescopes at two different sites. ... The Infra-Red Telescope Facility (IRTF) is a 3. ... NASA Insignia Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from an article revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) is a 15-metre submillimetre-wavelength telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii. ... The Subaru at sunset Subaru Telescope (In Japanese: すばる望遠鏡) is the 8. ... National Astronomical Observatory of Japan is an astronomical observatory comprised of several facilities sponsored jointly by the United States and Japan located in both Hawaii and in the Japanese archipelago. ... The submillimeter array under construction in 2002 The Submillimeter Array consists of 8 6 m diameter radio telescopes arranged as an interferometer for submillimeter wavelength observations. ... UKIRT, the United Kingdom Infra-Red Telescope, is a 3. ... The University of Hawaii 88-inch (2. ... Jean Charlots mural called Commencement is featured at Bachman Hall, the administrative center of the University of Hawai`i System. ... The University of Hawaii at Hilo is one of ten branches of the University of Hawaii System anchored by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii. ... VLBA locations. ... The W. M. Keck Observatory is home to the two largest optical/near-infrared telescopes at the 4,145 meter (13,600 ft) summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. ... The Subaru and Keck Telescopes. ... The Subaru and Keck Telescopes. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 300 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Astronomy Mauna Kea Observatory Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 300 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Astronomy Mauna Kea Observatory Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner...

2006 Hawaii earthquake

A number of the telescopes sustained minor damage during the 15 October 2006 Hawaii earthquake and aftershocks, primarily Kecks 1 and 2, and the CFHT.[1] The CFHT was operational and back online as of 19 October[2], however the Kecks remain under repair.[3] The main earthquake and its aftershocks The 2006 Hawaii earthquake was an offshore earthquake occurring 10 km (6 miles) southwest from Puakō, Hawaii, United States, on Sunday October 15, 2006 at 7:07:49 AM local time (17:07:49 (UTC)). It measured 6. ...

See also

Sunset over Mauna Kea, Hawai'i.

• Timeline of telescopes, observatories, and observing technology
• Other major international observatories (under active development):
  • Roque de los Muchachos Observatory
  • Paranal Observatory
  • Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
  • Llano de Chajnantor Observatory
• Historically important observatories (not undergoing substantial development):
  • Mount Wilson Observatory
  • Kitt Peak Observatory
  • Palomar Observatory

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1792x1200, 1335 KB) Summary Picture taken by me of Sunset over Mauna Kea, Hawaii circa May 2003 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1792x1200, 1335 KB) Summary Picture taken by me of Sunset over Mauna Kea, Hawaii circa May 2003 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of... Timeline of telescopes, observatories, and observing technology. ... The seeing statistics for Roque de los Muchachos Observatory make it the third best location for optical and infrared astronomy after Dome C, Antarctica and Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii. ... The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is an international astronomical organisation, composed and supported by ten countries from the European Union plus Switzerland and was created in 1962. ... The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) is a complex of astronomical telescopes and instruments located at 30. ... Llano de Chajnantor Observatory is an astronomical observatory located at 5104 m altitude in the Chilean Atacama desert, 50 kilometers to the north of San Pedro de Atacama. ... The Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO) is an astronomical observatory in Los Angeles County, California. ... The Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) is located on a 6,875 ft peak of the Quinlan Mountains in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert on the Tohono Oodham Nation, 55 miles southwest of Tucson. ... Palomar Observatory is a privately-owned observatory located in San Diego County, California, 90 miles (145 km) southeast of Mount Wilson Observatory, on Palomar Mountain. ...

External links

• Mauna Kea Observatory web page
• Mauna Kea webcams
• Weather forecast for Mauna Kea summit
• Mauna Kea Observatory on wikimapia
• Mauna Kea Observatory visitors center and astronomer accommodation