Astronomy

The event returns to celebrate and honor Hawai‘i’s first astronaut, who died in January 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, and give all ages the chance to explore the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics during a fun day filled with science.

Spectre, being created for NASA Infrared Telescope Facility atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island and named as a nod to a connection with Olympic weightlifter and actor Harold Sakata of Kona, who played OddJob in the James Bond film ‘Goldfinger,’ after first light in 2028 will also deepen mankind’s understanding of explosive phenomena beyond our solar system.

Another mission and experiment flying over the frozen continent that received heavy University of Hawaiʻi involvement seeks to decode universe’s mysteries.

A new multi-wavelength study shows that some ultra-massive galaxies shut down star formation early, while others remain active but hidden by dust,

A team of astronomers using a variety of telescopes — including W. M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island — seem to have discovered a possible “Superkilonova,” or a kilonova spurred by a supernova that forms a pair of dense, dead stars called neutron stars than then smash together.

Observations of AT 2024wpp, including data from the W. M. Keck Observatory on the Big Island, reveal that luminous fast blue optical transients are driven by extreme stellar destruction — not supernovae

New results — which were made using a variety of ground and space-based telescopes including W. M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea — strengthen the “Hubble tension,” a cosmic disagreement that could point to new physics governing the universe.

Unlocking the mystery of dark matter would help to get a grasp on what most of the universe is actually made of and potentially reveal fundamental new physics that could revolutionize the understanding of how everything works.

Community observing program Shadow the Scientists took the public on a tour of the famous interstellar visitor — sporting a holiday hue — with live observations from the Gemini North telescope control room on the Big Island.

Groundbreaking research from W. M. Keck Observatory and Subaru Telescope highlight continued leadership in imaging new worlds by Big Island’s Mauna Kea.

From atop Maunakea on the Big Island to around the world, astronomers and citizen stargazers are eagerly awaiting the passage of the interstellar comet through our solar system.

A groundbreaking discovery of the first-ever spatially resolved superluminous supernova offers a rare look at a stellar cataclysm from the early universe.

These advances allow researchers to see the sun’s magnetic landscape more accurately and improve predictions of solar activity that impacts life on Earth, including solar flares and coronal ejections that can disrupt satellites, power systems and communications.

Much like seismic waves reveal Earth’s inner layers, these stellar vibrations gave scientists a rare glimpse beneath the star’s surface.

Robo-AO-2 is designed to correct the blur caused by Earth’s atmosphere, sharpening images of hundreds of objects each night with minimal human oversight.

Gaseous pillars and a sparkling star cluster, reminiscent of rain in ʻōhiʻa forests, featured in the image from Gemini North telescope atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island.

Hawaiʻi Island Mayor Kimo Alameda expressed support for the telescope being built on the site of a former telescope believing it could meet the criteria of the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna (Guardians of the Mountain).

The Spooky Season is behind us, Big Island, which means it’s beg … Oh. Nope. Not going there yet. Get those bodies up and going, friends and neighbors. Let’s enjoy as much as we can with as many loved ones as possible to make as many special memories our own brains can hold. Check out the top things to do now!

With Halloween just one day of this week’s top 10, we wanted to make sure all of our space wasn’t taken up by haunting happenings. But as the universe would have it, there is some Halloween bleeding over into the weekend.

A photonic lantern allows astronomers to see deeper into space than ever before using a single telescope.