Maunakea Astronomer: Grateful for ‘Window Into the Universe’
Gov. David Ige announced on June 20, 2019, that the state Department of Land and Natural Resources issued a notice to proceed to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo for the Thirty Meter Telescope project on Maunakea on Hawaiʻi Island.
The following statement is attributable to Doug Simons, executive director of Canada-France-Hawai’i Telescope:
“Observatory employees are on Maunakea daily, performing critical maintenance on our facilities, along with support services staff and rangers who care for the wellbeing of all those who visit Maunakea. The personal safety of everyone on the mountain—including our staff—must remain a top priority for all. As dedicated members of the local community, the men and women who work at the Maunakea Observatories are grateful for the opportunity to explore the skies from Maunakea, a special place that can uniquely serve as a window into the universe around us.”
About Maunakea Observatories
The Maunakea Observatories are a collaboration of independent institutions with telescopes located on Maunakea on the island of Hawai’i. Together, the observatories make Maunakea the most scientifically productive site for astronomy world-wide. The Maunakea Observatories include: Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, Canada-France-Hawai’i Telescope, Gemini International Observatory, James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (EAO), NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, Subaru Telescope, Submillimeter Array, United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, University of Hawai’i Hilo Educational Telescope, University of Hawai’i 2.2 Meter Telescope, Very Long Baseline Array and W. M. Keck Observatory (Keck I and Keck II).