Astronomy

ARL at UH supports the Institute for Astronomy (IfA) in conducting operations and management of telescope facilities on Maunakea, located on Hawaiʻi Island, and Haleakala, located on the island of Maui. At ~14,000 and ~10,000 feet elevation, respectively, Maunakea and Haleakala are above the Earth’s thermal inversion layer the majority of the time, so the atmosphere is extremely dry and free from dust and clouds. Maunakea is unique as a nighttime astronomical observing site as its exceptionally stable atmosphere significantly improves measurements of infrared and sub-millimeter radiation from celestial sources and permits detailed studies that are not possible elsewhere in the world. Haleakala, which translates to “House of the Sun” in Hawaiian, was chosen from more than 72 sites to host the world’s largest solar telescope and is home to the Air Force’s largest and most advanced telescope system. ARL facilitates the development of state-of the-art optics and sensors, adaptive optics, and advanced instrumentation for the acquisition and analysis of space observations.

Projects