Every day brings new discoveries of planetary bodies that may or may not resemble the planets in our Solar System. We have found planets that are Earth-sized, hot Jupiters, mini-Neptunes, and supergiants. Some of these worlds are covered in lava; others are wrapped in oceans or ice. There are worlds that have iron rain falling from their skies while others drift alone through space, untethered to any star. We now know ours is just one of many solar systems in the universe.

Finding these exoplanets is challenging, and developing the technology to capture a family portrait of planets and their extrasolar systems is an instrumental achievement. The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre has developed a state-of-the-art instrument that could allow us to take images of planets on the scale of our solar system, a goal not yet achievable with current methods.

The Subaru Pathfinder Instrument for Detecting Exoplanets and Retrieving Spectra (SPIDERS) is now installed at the Subaru Telescope. In this Shadow the Scientists session, participants will join the SPIDERS team live from the control room as they test their technology on the telescope. Along the way, you will hear the story of SPIDERS’ journey from Canada to Hawaiʻi, learn how students helped build the instrument, and get a sneak peek at its testing on targets that may host planetary companions.

Join us for Waimea Family Food Truck Friday, a monthly community event held in the heart of Waimea Town at the W.M. Keck Observatory Headquarters.

This free, family-friendly gathering brings together a variety of local food and beverage vendors, offering delicious meals, sweet treats, and specialty favorites from across the island. Do outdoor keiki activities. Enjoy great food, support local businesses, and connect with friends, family, and the Waimea community.

Restrooms and ample parking are available. Bring an umbrella, as the event will happen rain or shine. There's plenty of space for picnic blankets and chairs, so bring them along!

This is an alcohol-free event.

In this Shadow the Scientists session for guests at the Maunakea Visitor Information Station, participants will experience how observations are carried out with MegaCam using the Queued Service Observing mode from Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescopeʻs (CFHT) remote control room in Waimea. With the session taking place at the beginning of the evening, participants may even witness the opening of the observatory as the night begins.

CFHT is a 3.6-meter telescope facility located on the summit of Maunakea, conducting astronomical observations with five instruments in the optical and near-infrared. Its most widely used instrument, MegaCam, is a powerful wide-field optical imager capable of capturing a one-square-degree patch of sky, collecting light from objects ranging from asteroids and planets to nebulae and distant galaxies.

Weather permitting, we will shadow the Remote Observers (RO) as they manage the full observing process from monitoring summit conditions and ensuring observatory safety to pointing the telescope, executing science observations, and generating the nightly report.

Join us for a rare, behind-the-scenes look at astronomy in action, where you won’t just learn about observing but experience it as it happens alongside working scientists!

Take flight into the realm of native birds with Hālau ‘Ōkupu Play and Learn program theme, Manu: Native Birds! Soar through the skies with your little explorer as we discover the brightly colored and unique feathered inhabitants of Hawaiʻi. Through thematic activities, keiki will explore the diversity of birds that live in Hawai‘i. Flit and fly over for an epic adventure with your little birder.

Hālau ʻŌkupu is a monthly Play & Learn experience thoughtfully designed for our youngest learners (keiki ages 1-4). Held on a day when ʻImiloa is closed to the public, this program offers a calm, safe space for keiki to explore, move, and discover alongside their caregivers.

• ʻImiloa Members: $20 (1 child + 1 adult)

• General: $30 (1 child + 1 adult)

• Additional eligible children or adults: $10 each

Walk-ins welcome if space allows. Refunds not available for missed sessions.

Astronomy on Tap Hawaiʻi is returning to Hale Kanikapila, formerly Hilo Town Tavern, on Wednesday, May 13, at 7p! Get ready for casual astronomy talks, fun quizzes, and great conversations about the universe.

Moving forward, Astronomy on Tap will take place on the second Wednesday of every month.

Join Shadow the Scientists as the observing team uses the Gemini North telescope near the summit of Maunakea and conducts observations remotely from the control room at the Hilo base facility. 

Unlike “classical” observing nights featured in most previous StS sessions, Gemini Observatory uses queue observing mode, in which Gemini staff take observations on behalf of science teams from all over the world. On any given night, Gemini staff determine the conditions on the ground and in the sky and the scientific priorities and choose from a pool of scientific programs to observe. This means anything could be observed on any night!

For this Shadow the Scientists experience, the observing team may use the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS), Gemini Near Infrared Spectrograph (GNIRS), and the Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrograph 2 (IGRINS-2), giving participants a glimpse into how astronomers collect data across multiple wavelengths.

Come along for this cosmic adventure as we explore the universe and share its wonders!

Experience astronomy in action with Journey to the Early Solar System: Observing Comet C/2025 R3 PanSTARRS! Join Shadow the Scientists for a live virtual observing session with researchers using the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Maunakea as they explore Comet C/2025 R3 PanSTARRS.

Comets are icy relics left over from the early days of our solar system, time capsules that preserve clues about how the Sun, planets, and even Earth’s water and organic molecules first formed. By studying comets like C/2025 R3 in infrared light, scientists can identify their chemical composition, track how they change as they approach the Sun, and uncover what they reveal about the origins of planetary systems.

This special session lets participants experience the excitement of professional astronomy firsthand, seeing how real data is collected and analyzed by researchers exploring the building blocks of our cosmic neighborhood. They’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the observing process and engage with IRTF staff and the scientists leading the observations. Attendees will also see how the IRTF is a vital tool in the global planetary defense system, which identifies and characterizes objects in the solar system that pose a threat to Earth.

Join us for AstroDay 2026 at the Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo on Saturday, May 2, from 10:00a to 4:00p! Explore the marvels of space and technology at the 24th annual AstroDay — a free, interactive science celebration. More than 30 organizations will host demonstrations, games, and activities highlighting astronomy, robotics, and the natural sciences.

Expect hands-on activity stations, live science demonstrations, robotics, and award presentations at the mid-mall stage, with live coverage by KWXX/B93 Radio. Don't miss the announcement of the 2026 Maunakea Coin Contest winners at 11:30a, and be sure to collect AstroDay coins throughout the day to enter to win prizes, including telescopes and skateboards.

Star Wars “characters” will be roaming the event throughout the day, offering opportunities for photos and interactive experiences for attendees of all ages. One of the most popular attractions, the "Robot Rumble" returns with 15 robotic teams from across Hawaiʻi Island facing off in head-to-head competition, presented by the Hawaiʻi Science and Technology Museum (HSTM).

Join Shadow the Scientists for a special session at the Maunakea Visitor Information Station with Dr. J.D. Armstrong, an astronomer with the University of Hawai’i Institute for Astronomy!

Based in Maui, Dr. Armstrong directs the HI STAR student research program and serves as the project scientist for the Faulkes Telescope North on Haleakalā. He specializes in tracking near-Earth objects (NEOs), the asteroids and small bodies that move through our cosmic neighborhood.

Dr. Armstrong will join virtually and take attendees behind the scenes of real astronomical research to learn how astronomers detect and track NEOs, why monitoring these objects matters for planetary defense, and what it’s like to operate research telescopes in Hawai’i and beyond.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how astronomers conduct research, ask your questions, and connect with the people who help us better understand our dynamic solar system.

Join us for the 2026 IfA Mānoa Open House on April 26th from 11:00a to 4:00p! Learn all about space, science, telescopes, and more with hands-on activities, demonstrations, and talks for the whole family.

With free admission and free parking, you can explore over 30 stations, including event partners and activities:

Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of color with ʻImiloa’s Hālau ‘Ōkupu Play and Learn program, Pua: Native Flowers! Join them to celebrate the striking beauty and diversity of Hawaiʻiʻs native flowers. From the delicate petals of the ‘ilima flower to the vibrant colors of the ‘ōhi‘a, each flower is unique and has a unique story and significance to our island home. Cultivate a deep appreciation for the natural beauty that surrounds us and inspire the wonder of flowers.

Hālau ʻŌkupu is a monthly Play & Learn experience thoughtfully designed for our youngest learners (keiki ages 1-4). Held on a day when ʻImiloa is closed to the public, this program offers a calm, safe space for keiki to explore, move, and discover alongside their caregivers.

• ʻImiloa Members: $20 (1 child + 1 adult)

• General: $30 (1 child + 1 adult)

• Additional eligible children or adults: $10 each

Walk-ins welcome if space allows. Refunds not available for missed sessions.

Join us for Waimea Family Food Truck Friday, a monthly community event held in the heart of Waimea Town at the W.M. Keck Observatory Headquarters.

This free, family-friendly gathering brings together a variety of local food and beverage vendors, offering delicious meals, sweet treats, and specialty favorites from across the island. Listen to live music from 5:00 to 7:30p and do outdoor keiki activities. Enjoy great food, support local businesses, and connect with friends, family, and the Waimea community.

Restrooms and ample parking are available. Bring an umbrella, as the event will happen rain or shine. There's plenty of space for picnic blankets and chairs, so bring them along!

This is an alcohol-free event.

As a part of the TCBES Speaker Series, ʻImiloa is hosting a talk by Sara Kahanamoku, PhD, called "Conservation Paleobiology for the Anthropocene" on April 2 at 3:30p in the ʻImiloa planetarium! Sara is an assistant researcher at the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program & Department of Earth Sciences. 

Over the past few centuries, novel human activity has reversed a 50-million-year-long global cooling trend and driven biodiversity losses worldwide. These climate and ecosystem changes began decades to centuries before the advent of long-term monitoring programs – meaning that most of our contemporary records come from systems that have already undergone significant alteration.

This seminar will showcase recent findings from an “invisible timescale” system, the Southern California Borderland Basins, where sediment cores with annual layers preserve a high-resolution fossil record. This record can be directly tied to long-term modern observations to retroactively extend ecosystem monitoring prior to the onset of anthropogenic climate change.

Attend this seminar to explore how lessons from this “invisible timescale” system can be applied more broadly to better understand how to manage ecosystems for long-term resilience in the Anthropocene.

Join us on March 20 for Waimea Family Food Truck Friday, a monthly community event held in the heart of Waimea Town at the W.M. Keck Observatory Headquarters. This free, family-friendly gathering brings together a variety of local food and beverage vendors, offering delicious meals, sweet treats, and specialty favorites from across the island. Listen to live music from 5:00 to 7:30p and do outdoor keiki activities. Enjoy great food, support local businesses, and connect with friends, family, and the Waimea community.

Restrooms and ample parking are available. Bring an umbrella, as the event will happen rain or shine. There's plenty of space for picnic blankets and chairs, so bring them along!

This is an alcohol-free event.

Join ʻImiloa on March 17 for Alakaʻi 1777, a one-day planetarium exhibit and immersive audiovisual installation that reconstructs the lost song culture of the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō (kuh-wai-ee oh-oh), an extinct Hawaiian bird once native to the Alakaʻi swamp.

The work is inspired by a simple premise—when populations collapse, so do their learned traditions and vocal cultures that have built up over generations. In Alakaʻi 1777, interacting artificial agents sing from a mathematical model of the avian vocal organ (the syrinx), trained on the few surviving recordings of the species. These voices are nestled within site-specific ecological data from the ʻōʻō’s last known habitat: LiDAR scans of the forest, spatial audio recordings of the dawn chorus, and urbanization histories rendered as sound and image.

To give listeners a deeper sense of this lost world, the entire soundscape is slowed down, allowing them to experience the songs as the original inhabitants of Alakaʻi may have perceived them. Within this expanded space, artificial agents act as spectral ancestors, engaging in a dynamic, multi-layered dialogue with real Kauaʻi ʻōʻō recordings, offering a glimpse into a richer, more intricate soundscape that vanished long before the last bird fell silent.

Please join the Arts & Sciences Center (ASC) for their inaugural signature event, STEAM-CON, created to stage the genius of our community and celebrate the science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics thriving in Puna and across Hawai‘i Island.

Rooted in ASC’s founding vision to help community live, learn, and thrive together, STEAM-CON brings together master artists, cultural practitioners, scientists, engineers, inventors, educators, and students for an afternoon of inspiration, connection, and hands-on discovery. This event is designed to spark curiosity, elevate local work, and illuminate pathways for learning, innovation, connection and opportunity that exist close to home.

Throughout the event, guests will encounter:
• TED Talk-style presentations and featured exhibitions on a central stage
• A fine art gallery showcasing accomplished local artists
• Demonstration booths and hands-on creation stations for all ages
• Immersive audio/visual and experiential installations
• Roving artists and live creative elements to keep the space energized
• Food and community gathering, with plans to feature an imu as a living example of indigenous science in practice

Join the Subaru Telescope on Friday, March 13, from 9:00 to 11:00p (HST) for its first Japanese-language session with a powerful new instrument, the ʻŌnohiʻula Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS). Everyone is welcome to participate in this free event where you’ll be able to watch real-time observations as scientists collect spectra from distant galaxies through the Shadow the Scientists (StS) program.

During this session, Finn Giddings, a PhD student at the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy; Dr. Brian C. Lemaux, a staff scientist at the Gemini North Telescope; and members of the Charting Cluster Construction with VUDS and ORELSE (C3VO) research team will use ʻŌnohiʻula PFS to study a large sample of galaxies in some of the largest structures in the early Universe. The primary goal of these observations is to map these immense cosmic structures. The team will also examine how often galaxies in the early Universe interacted and merged, as well as how such interactions influenced galaxy evolution, including the growth of their supermassive black holes, around 10 billion years ago when the Universe was only 10-20% of its current age. In tandem with previous radio, mid-infrared, and X-ray observations, the team aims to understand the role of galaxy interactions in shaping these structures and driving black hole growth.

Subaru Telescope staff will also present how the ʻŌnohiʻula PFS was developed, demonstrate how the instrument is operated, and share the meaning of its Hawaiian name, ʻŌnohiʻula.

Join the Subaru Telescope on Wednesday, March 11, from 7:00 to 9:00p (HST) for its first live online event with a powerful new instrument, the ʻŌnohiʻula Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS). Everyone is welcome to participate in this free event where you’ll be able to watch real-time observations as scientists collect spectra from distant galaxies through the Shadow the Scientists (StS) program.

During this session, Finn Giddings, a PhD student at the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy; Dr. Brian C. Lemaux, a staff scientist at the Gemini North Telescope; and members of the Charting Cluster Construction with VUDS and ORELSE (C3VO) research team will use ʻŌnohiʻula PFS to study a large sample of galaxies in some of the largest structures in the early Universe. The primary goal of these observations is to map these immense cosmic structures. The team will also examine how often galaxies in the early Universe interacted and merged, as well as how such interactions influenced galaxy evolution, including the growth of their supermassive black holes, around 10 billion years ago when the Universe was only 10-20% of its current age. In tandem with previous radio, mid-infrared, and X-ray observations, the team aims to understand the role of galaxy interactions in shaping these structures and driving black hole growth.

Subaru Telescope staff will also present how the ʻŌnohiʻula PFS was developed, demonstrate how the instrument is operated, and share the meaning of its Hawaiian name, ʻŌnohiʻula.

Join ʻImiloa and embark on an interstellar voyage with Hālau ‘Ōkupu Play and Learn program theme Hōkūhele: Planets in our Solar System! Board a rocket with your young astronomer and traverse the vast expanse of our solar system. From the fiery storms of Jupiter to the icy plains of Pluto, each planet is unique and fascinating. Enroll your little space explorer today and let the cosmic exploration begin!

Hālau ʻŌkupu is a monthly Play & Learn experience thoughtfully designed for our youngest learners. Held on a day when ʻImiloa is closed to the public, this program offers a calm, safe space for keiki to explore, move, and discover alongside their caregivers.

• ʻImiloa Members: $20 (1 child + 1 adult)

• General: $30 (1 child + 1 adult)

• Additional eligible children or adults: $10 each

Walk-ins welcome if space allows. Refunds not available for missed sessions.

Honuaiākea: Developing Kapu and Kānāwai Through Ancestral Ecological Knowledge

Join ʻImiloa for this conversation with Luka Kanakaʻole as he demonstrates the development of kapu (elements to hold sacred) and kānāwai (protocols that uphold them) through the analytical process of Honuaiākea — a rigorous methodology for shaping contemporary policy, governance, and environmental stewardship.

Emerging from the Papakū Makawalu framework, Honuaiākea centers ʻike Hawaiʻi as foundational scientific knowledge. Rather than positioning culture as an addition to Western science, Kanakaʻole advances an approach in which conventional biological data and ancestral ecological knowledge inform one another as equals. With a background in biology, he reflects on moving beyond a data-dominant “sprinkle of culture” model toward a comprehensive, place-based knowing grounded in location-specific Ancestral Ecological Knowledge.

Central to this work is protocol: opening with oli sets intention, removes ego from decision-making, and situates governance within relationship—to place, to ancestors, and to future generations.

We’re celebrating Engineers Week with a free, family-friendly Engineering Bash! Meet some of the island’s most talented students, professional engineers, and community experts and discover the amazing world of engineering! Bring all your engineering questions and enjoy mind-bending and inspiring indoor/outdoor activities, demonstrations, and displays, including drones with Hawaiʻi Keiki Museum, hovercraft with the Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, magnetic slime with Parker School students, and more!

The Engineering Bash is presented in collaboration with our NASA@My Library partners and community friends: Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Keiki Museum, Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy, Hawaiian Electric, Laupāhoehoe Train Museum, Parker School, PISCES, UH Institute for Astronomy/Maunakea Observatories, UH Space Science and Engineering Initiative, W.M. Keck Observatory, Waimea Fire Station, Waimea Middle School, and West Hawaiʻi Concrete.

Join us on February 27 for Waimea Family Food Truck Friday, a monthly community event held in the heart of Waimea Town at the W.M. Keck Observatory Headquarters. This free, family-friendly gathering brings together a variety of local food and beverage vendors, offering delicious meals, sweet treats, and specialty favorites from across the island. Listen to live music from 5:00 to 7:30p and do outdoor keiki activities. Enjoy great food, support local businesses, and connect with friends, family, and the Waimea community.

Restrooms and ample parking are available. Bring an umbrella, as the event will happen rain or shine. There's plenty of space for picnic blankets and chairs, so bring them along!

This is an alcohol-free event.

We live in an era where worlds like Tatooine — the iconic twin-sun planet from Star Wars — have leapt from science fiction into the realm of modern astrophysics. These distant worlds, orbiting stars beyond our Sun, are known as exoplanets.

At the Subaru Telescope, a powerful instrument called the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) makes it possible to directly image these alien worlds. By combining cutting-edge adaptive optics with coronagraphy, SCExAO suppresses starlight and reveals the faint glow of orbiting exoplanets.

This Shadow the Scientists session will offer a sneak peek into SCExAO observations of one such extrasolar world captured by the Subaru Telescope. While an exoplanet may not be visible in the raw images during this observation, the session will explain the methods behind these observations, which are similar to those used by the James Webb Space Telescope in space.

Join W.M. Keck Observatory and International Gemini Observatory on Tuesday, February 24, at 6:30 pm for A Shared Sky: Kaulana Mahina and the Lunar Eclipse in Hawaiʻi. This free ʻohana event is in anticipation of the upcoming total lunar eclipse (Blood Moon) on March 13/14 and will feature a talk and Q&A with three speakers from the observatories.

Speakers

• Preethi Krishnamoorthy - Staff Astronomer, W.M. Keck Observatory

• Avinash Surendran - Adaptive Optics Scientist, W.M. Keck Observatory

• Leilehua Yuen - Hawaiʻi Culture & Language Resident, International Gemini Observatory

This event will be held in the Jerry Nelson Conference Room at the Keck headquarters in Waimea. Doors will open at 6:00 pm, and the talk will begin at 6:30 pm. There is limited seating available, so don’t wait and register today. 

The Mauna Kea Stewardship & Oversight Authority (MKSOA) is preparing to take office under a new management plan and is hosting a community talk story on Thursday, February 19, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi. This talk story is part of a series of gatherings across the pae ʻāina to connect with community and share ʻike about the future stewardship of Mauna Kea, with a focus on Access and Aspiration.

These gatherings are not formal hearings. Instead, they are designed as spaces to listen, connect, and talk story — an opportunity for community members and the Authority to sit together, build shared understanding, and reflect on what stewardship, access, and aspiration mean for Mauna Kea moving forward.

The first portion of each gathering will provide a brief overview of Mauna Kea and the role of the Authority, ensuring everyone has a shared foundation. The majority of the time will then be dedicated to small-group conversations, where participants can share perspectives, experiences, and manaʻo in a more personal and relational setting.

These conversations will help ground the Authority’s early work in community values, cultural context, and lived experience, and support the development of stewardship priorities rooted in trust, transparency, and respect.

The Mauna Kea Stewardship & Oversight Authority (MKSOA) is preparing to take office under a new management plan and is hosting a community talk story on Wednesday, February 18, in Nāʻālehu, Hawaiʻi. This talk story is part of a series of gatherings across the pae ʻāina to connect with community and share ʻike about the future stewardship of Mauna Kea, with a focus on Access and Aspiration.

These gatherings are not formal hearings. Instead, they are designed as spaces to listen, connect, and talk story — an opportunity for community members and the Authority to sit together, build shared understanding, and reflect on what stewardship, access, and aspiration mean for Mauna Kea moving forward.

The first portion of each gathering will provide a brief overview of Mauna Kea and the role of the Authority, ensuring everyone has a shared foundation. The majority of the time will then be dedicated to small-group conversations, where participants can share perspectives, experiences, and manaʻo in a more personal and relational setting.

These conversations will help ground the Authority’s early work in community values, cultural context, and lived experience, and support the development of stewardship priorities rooted in trust, transparency, and respect.

The Mauna Kea Stewardship & Oversight Authority (MKSOA) is preparing to take office under a new management plan and is hosting a community talk story on Wednesday, February 11, in Waimea, Hawaiʻi. This talk story is part of a series of gatherings across the pae ʻāina to connect with community and share ʻike about the future stewardship of Mauna Kea, with a focus on Access and Aspiration.

These gatherings are not formal hearings. Instead, they are designed as spaces to listen, connect, and talk story — an opportunity for community members and the Authority to sit together, build shared understanding, and reflect on what stewardship, access, and aspiration mean for Mauna Kea moving forward.

The first portion of each gathering will provide a brief overview of Mauna Kea and the role of the Authority, ensuring everyone has a shared foundation. The majority of the time will then be dedicated to small-group conversations, where participants can share perspectives, experiences, and manaʻo in a more personal and relational setting.

These conversations will help ground the Authority’s early work in community values, cultural context, and lived experience, and support the development of stewardship priorities rooted in trust, transparency, and respect.

Join ʻImiloa and embark on an interstellar voyage with Hālau ‘Ōkupu Play and Learn program theme Hōkūhele: Planets in our Solar System! Board a rocket with your young astronomer and traverse the vast expanse of our solar system. From the fiery storms of Jupiter to the icy plains of Pluto, each planet is unique and fascinating. Enroll your little space explorer today and let the cosmic exploration begin!

Hālau ʻŌkupu is a monthly Play & Learn experience thoughtfully designed for our youngest learners. Held on a day when ʻImiloa is closed to the public, this program offers a calm, safe space for keiki to explore, move, and discover alongside their caregivers.

• ʻImiloa Members: $20 (1 child + 1 adult)

• General: $30 (1 child + 1 adult)

• Additional eligible children or adults: $10 each

Walk-ins welcome if space allows. Refunds not available for missed sessions.

Join Shadow the Scientist and W.M. Keck Observatory as they investigate distant solar system objects, our newest interstellar visitor, and objects that share a similar orbit to the Earth’s with the Keck/MOSFIRE near-infrared camera.

They have a triple feature planned for you with the Keck telescope: the near-infrared investigation of Neptunian Trojan objects, interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, and Earth co-orbitals.

They will discuss the challenges of observing these enigmatic objects from the summit of Maunakea and what we can learn about the formation of planetary systems from their observed physical properties.