Onizuka Center for International Astronomy
Encyclopedia
The Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, also known as Hale Pōhaku, is a complex of support facilities for the telescopes and other instruments that comprise the Mauna Kea Observatory
atop Mauna Kea
, on Hawaii island
.
) were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
on the southern slope of Mauna Kea
in the 1930s for hunters and other explorers.
A rough jeep trail was built in 1964 under Governor John A. Burns
, and a small telescope determined that Mauna Kea would be an ideal place for an astronomical observatory. The Hale Pōhaku area was used as a construction camp for the building of the observatories through the 1970s, and the road realigned in 1975. A permanent complex of buildings was constructed in 1983 known as the Mid-Level Facility.
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The Mid-Level Facility was renamed for the Hawaii-born astronaut Ellison Onizuka
, who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
in 1986.
It is located at the 9300 feet (2,834.6 m) elevation, south of the summit at 19°45′41"N 155°27′22"W, up Mauna Kea Access Road from the Saddle Road (Route 200).
The center consists of dormitories with sleeping accommodation for 72, as well as a main building which houses the shared facilities such as cafeteria, laundry, and common room. Astronomers or technicians normally spend up to 24 hours at Hale Pōhaku to acclimatize to the altitude, before proceeding to the summit at almost 14000 feet (4,267.2 m). There is no admission to these support facilities for the general public. The center is operated by the Institute for Astronomy
of the University of Hawaii
.
The harsh conditions of the observatories require ongoing maintenance, with technicians and construction workers being common residents.
Originally any astronomer wishing to use the observatory needed to stay at these facilities to physically be present during the nights they were assigned to use the telescopes. Although first-time users of the observatories are still encouraged to actually travel to the summit to familiarize themselves with the instruments, most observations can now be done over the Internet
. Often the work is done in teams, with a staff of two at the summit, and others connected by teleconference
at Hale Pōhaku, the University of Hawaii at Hilo
, University of Hawaii at Manoa
, or the researcher's office.
W. M. Keck Observatory reported 90% of observations were remote by 2002, many from their facility in Waimea, on the plateau north of the mountain, and automation allowed control from California
.
Just below the support complex, a Visitor Information Station at 19°45′33"N 155°27′22"W, has its own parking lot for visitors. The VIS houses informational displays, and shows videos depicting the history and work of the observatory. Every evening it hosts a stargazing program in which a small telescope is set up outside the building and visitors are shown various stars, planets and other interesting features of the night sky. Amateur astronomers also come here to set up their own telescopes, since the altitude is already high enough for the seeing to be much better than lower down the mountain.
The Onizuka Center is at the end of the paved road, and the farthest a regular car can go towards the summit. , four wheel drive
vehicles with well-maintained brakes are required to continue on the steep and twisting gravel road to the summit. Since conditions can change quickly, visitors are advised to get up-to-date information before going.
Those who do intend to visit the summit are also strongly advised to spend at least half an hour, or better three or four hours, at the mid-level in order to acclimatize to the higher elevation, and so reduce the possibility of suffering potentially dangerous altitude sickness
.
Further below the visitor station is a camp for construction workers. The three facilities are kept separate because scientists generally work at the summit during night hours and need to sleep during the day, while construction and tours are restricted to daylight hours.
Other Mauna Kea recreation opportunities include Mauna Kea State Recreation Area
, and the Mauna Kea Trail
which leads from the VIS through the Mauna Kea Ice Age Reserve
to the summit. A small museum also dedicated to Onizuka is located at the Kona International Airport
. The Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii in Hilo on the University of Hawaii at Hilo
campus includes a larger museum and planetarium
that is more easily accessible to visitors.
Mauna Kea Observatory
The Observatories at Mauna Kea, , are an independent collection of astronomical research facilities located on the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawai'i, USA. The facilities are located in a special land use zone known as the "Astronomy Precinct," which is located in the Mauna Kea...
atop Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea is a volcano on the island of Hawaii. Standing above sea level, its peak is the highest point in the state of Hawaii. However, much of the mountain is under water; when measured from its oceanic base, Mauna Kea is over tall—significantly taller than Mount Everest...
, on Hawaii island
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
.
History
A few rustic cabins named Hale Pōhaku (which means "stone house" in the Hawaiian languageHawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
) were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
on the southern slope of Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea is a volcano on the island of Hawaii. Standing above sea level, its peak is the highest point in the state of Hawaii. However, much of the mountain is under water; when measured from its oceanic base, Mauna Kea is over tall—significantly taller than Mount Everest...
in the 1930s for hunters and other explorers.
A rough jeep trail was built in 1964 under Governor John A. Burns
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine, Montana, Burns was a resident of Hawaii from 1913....
, and a small telescope determined that Mauna Kea would be an ideal place for an astronomical observatory. The Hale Pōhaku area was used as a construction camp for the building of the observatories through the 1970s, and the road realigned in 1975. A permanent complex of buildings was constructed in 1983 known as the Mid-Level Facility.
Ellison Onizuka
was a Japanese American astronaut from Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii, who successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-C, before losing his life to the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, where he was serving as Mission Specialist for mission STS-51-L...
, who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
in 1986.
It is located at the 9300 feet (2,834.6 m) elevation, south of the summit at 19°45′41"N 155°27′22"W, up Mauna Kea Access Road from the Saddle Road (Route 200).
The center consists of dormitories with sleeping accommodation for 72, as well as a main building which houses the shared facilities such as cafeteria, laundry, and common room. Astronomers or technicians normally spend up to 24 hours at Hale Pōhaku to acclimatize to the altitude, before proceeding to the summit at almost 14000 feet (4,267.2 m). There is no admission to these support facilities for the general public. The center is operated by the Institute for Astronomy
Institute for Astronomy
The Institute for Astronomy is a research unit within the University of Hawaii system, led by Günther Hasinger as Director. IfA main headquarters are located at 2680 Woodlawn Drive in Honolulu, Hawaii, , on the University of Hawaii at Mānoa campus. Additional facilities are located at Pukalani,...
of the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
.
The harsh conditions of the observatories require ongoing maintenance, with technicians and construction workers being common residents.
Originally any astronomer wishing to use the observatory needed to stay at these facilities to physically be present during the nights they were assigned to use the telescopes. Although first-time users of the observatories are still encouraged to actually travel to the summit to familiarize themselves with the instruments, most observations can now be done over the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. Often the work is done in teams, with a staff of two at the summit, and others connected by teleconference
Teleconference
A teleconference or teleseminar is the live exchange and mass articulation of information among several persons and machines remote from one another but linked by a telecommunications system...
at Hale Pōhaku, the University of Hawaii at Hilo
University of Hawaii at Hilo
The University of Hawaii at Hilo, UHH, or UH Hilo is one of the ten branches of the University of Hawaii system anchored by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii...
, University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
, or the researcher's office.
W. M. Keck Observatory reported 90% of observations were remote by 2002, many from their facility in Waimea, on the plateau north of the mountain, and automation allowed control from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Visitors
The Onizuka Center is at the end of the paved road, and the farthest a regular car can go towards the summit. , four wheel drive
Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
vehicles with well-maintained brakes are required to continue on the steep and twisting gravel road to the summit. Since conditions can change quickly, visitors are advised to get up-to-date information before going.
Those who do intend to visit the summit are also strongly advised to spend at least half an hour, or better three or four hours, at the mid-level in order to acclimatize to the higher elevation, and so reduce the possibility of suffering potentially dangerous altitude sickness
Altitude sickness
Altitude sickness—also known as acute mountain sickness , altitude illness, hypobaropathy, or soroche—is a pathological effect of high altitude on humans, caused by acute exposure to low partial pressure of oxygen at high altitude...
.
Further below the visitor station is a camp for construction workers. The three facilities are kept separate because scientists generally work at the summit during night hours and need to sleep during the day, while construction and tours are restricted to daylight hours.
Related sites
The Keck Observatory on the summit is sometimes open for visitors during daylight hours, but otherwise only scientists are allowed inside observatory facilities. Some commercial tours continue from the center to the summit until it is closed to the public at sunset.Other Mauna Kea recreation opportunities include Mauna Kea State Recreation Area
Mauna Kea State Recreation Area
Mauna Kea State Recreation Area also known as Mauna Kea State Park, is a state of Hawaii protected area at the southern base of Mauna Kea.The park is administered by the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources....
, and the Mauna Kea Trail
Mauna Kea Trail
The Mauna Kea Trail is considered the easiest route to hike to the summit of Mauna Kea volcano, the highest volcano on the island of Hawai. The trail is long and loosely follows an unmaintained dirt road...
which leads from the VIS through the Mauna Kea Ice Age Reserve
Mauna Kea Ice Age Reserve
-Quarry:The quarry was used by prehistoric Hawaiians to obtain basalt for stone tools including blades for adzes.Located near the summit of Mauna Kea at an elevation above at along the Mauna Kea Trail, this is the largest primitive quarry in the world. The archaeological complex also includes...
to the summit. A small museum also dedicated to Onizuka is located at the Kona International Airport
Kona International Airport
Kona International Airport at Keāhole is an airport on the Island of Hawaii, in Kalaoa CDP, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. The airport serves leeward, or Western Hawaii island, including the town of Kailua-Kona and the major resorts of the North Kona and South Kohala districts.- History...
. The Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii in Hilo on the University of Hawaii at Hilo
University of Hawaii at Hilo
The University of Hawaii at Hilo, UHH, or UH Hilo is one of the ten branches of the University of Hawaii system anchored by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii...
campus includes a larger museum and planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
that is more easily accessible to visitors.