Astronomy

A birthday bash from 2 to 6 p.m. today will feature hands-on activities, anniversary treats, giveaways and full access to exhibits and the planetarium all for free; the celebration also kicks off a year of monthly anniversary programming throughout 2026.

And that’s just a quick sample of the wide and, shall we say, unique variety of events and activities happening around the Big Island. Cure that ‘cabin fever’ and get out of the house to discover what we’re talking about.

The study reveals the origin and evolution of turbulence in the corona, a process long linked to coronal heating and the acceleration of the solar wind.

Valentine’s Day is Saturday (Feb. 14), and there are several events and activities happening this weekend around the island that will make great date options. So good that Cupid himself approves. Check them out now!

All Big Island students in grades kindergarten through 12 are eligible to submit designs for the contest, but don’t wait; the deadline to enter is this Friday (Feb. 13).

Journey Through the Universe hosted its 22nd year with 46 volunteer educators visiting classrooms, participating in career panels and hosting community events all about astronomy.

Get ready for a week that invites you to events from helping restore an ancient Hawaiian village site in the Valley of the Kings to expressing your opinions during a town hall meeting hosted by U.S. Congresswoman Jill Tokuda.

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.