Behind every astronomical discovery are the stories and experiences of the people who made it possible. Explore the latest from across the Maunakea Observatories.
STORIES
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Hawaiian Skies: Hinaiaʻeleʻele 2026
The night sky is full of stories, lessons, and wisdom that have been passed down for generations. Leilehua Yuen takes us through these stories and more in her Hawaiian Skies series, guiding us through the moʻolelo of the constellations. For the Hawaiian month of Hinaiaʻeleʻele (July 14 - August 12), Leilehua takes us on a voyage through the great adventures of Māui enumerated in the Kumulipo, known as “The Strifes of Māui."
2026 Akamai Mentor Summit: Mentoring By Design
With 610 Akamai interns having completed more than 650 projects designed to support their diverse backgrounds and advance their STEM careers, the Akamai Workforce Initiative (Akamai) has been creating internship opportunities for local students in Hawaiʻi for 25 years. Now, hundreds are in STEM jobs in Hawaiʻi and beyond.
A Discovery Rooted in Community: How a Citizen Scientist's Discovery Brings Leilani to the stars
When volunteer citizen scientist Todd Fisher discovered a new asteroid using data from the Subaru Telescope, he had the opportunity to propose a name. He chose Leilani, honoring a Hawaiʻi community that holds deep meaning for his family and preserving its memory in the night sky.
Hawaiian Skies: Kaʻaona 2026
The night sky is full of stories, lessons, and wisdom that have been passed down for generations. Leilehua Yuen takes us through these stories and more in her Hawaiian Skies series, guiding us through the moʻolelo of the constellations. For the Hawaiian month of Kaʻaona (June 15 - July 13), Leilehua is sharing a moʻohōkū (star story) centered around Boötes, a prominent shape in the Hawaiian sky throughout our hurricane season.
Stars of the Maunakea Coin Contest: Pāhoa High and Intermediate School
One small school in the quiet community of Pāhoa overwhelmingly shines in the Maunakea Coin Contest every year. What’s their secret?
Diplomats Experience Maunakea Through Science and Culture
The University of Hawaiʻi welcomed about 50 international diplomats to Maunakea and the UH Hilo ʻImiloa Astronomy Center for a firsthand look at the university’s leading role in world-class astronomy, scientific discoveries and cultural stewardship that have helped make Hawaiʻi a global center for space research.
Hawaiian Skies: Ikiiki 2026
The night sky is full of stories, lessons, and wisdom that have been passed down for generations. Leilehua Yuen takes us through these stories and more in her Hawaiian Skies series, guiding us through the moʻolelo of the constellations. The Hawaiian month of Ikiiki (May 17 - June 14) lives up to its name with humid days, blanketing clouds, and sticky heat. Learn about the stories appearing in the sky this month, like Nā Kao – the Darts – and Puapualenalena and the Kiha-pū.
AstroDay East 2026 Brings World-Class Science to the Heart of Hilo
On Saturday, May 2, Prince Kūhīō Plaza in Hilo was transformed into a lively hub of science, discovery, and community as more than 30 organizations came together for the 24th annual AstroDay East. Hosted by Maunakea Observatories, the free, family-friendly event welcomed keiki and families for a full day of hands-on learning, live demonstrations, and interactive fun.
Maunakea Scholars Alumni Reconnect at AAS 247 Winter Meeting
Hawaiʻi astronomy students and Maunakea Scholars alumni reconnected while presenting their research at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) 247th winter meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, this January.
Listening Across the Pae ʻĀina: 2026 MKSOA Community Workshops
In early 2026, the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA) hosted ten community engagement workshops across the state as a key part of the Authority’s active planning process, gathering input directly from community members to inform the development of a new Maunakea management plan.
These workshops created spaces to listen, connect, talk story, and reflect on the future stewardship of Maunakea with a focus on access and aspiration.
Hawaiian Skies: Welo 2026
The night sky is full of stories, lessons, and wisdom that have been passed down for generations. Leilehua Yuen takes us through these stories and more in her Hawaiian Skies series, guiding us through the moʻolelo of the constellations. During the Hawaiian Month of Welo (April 18 - May 16), explore family traits and relationships of huihui and ulu hōkū through the moʻolelo or moʻo hōkū, storylines, which connect them.
The Sylvester Family: Three Generations of Astronomy
Tony Sylvester and his son, Anthony, stand in the Gemini base facility control room watching a familiar sight unfold: images of a windswept Maunakea summit viewed from multiple angles. They are the second and third generations of the Sylvester family to work in astronomy on Maunakea and, between the two of them, have a combined 36 years working on the mauna.
UH Hilo, Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope, and Université Laval Collaborate to Simulate Galaxy Collision
A new study co-authored by Camille Poitras, Dr. R. Pierre Martin of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and colleagues at Université Laval (Québec, Canada) simulates the past, present, and future of a collision between two spiral galaxies, using Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope data. Discoveries like these speak to the importance of undergraduate research experience and international collaboration.
Hawaiian Skies: Nana 2026
The night sky is full of stories, lessons, and wisdom that have been passed down for generations. Leilehua Yuen takes us through these stories and more in her Hawaiian Skies series, guiding us through the moʻolelo of the constellations. Learn why some stars in the sky during the Hawaiian month of Nana (March 19 - April 17) share names and how Leilehua hunts down the original meaning behind them.
Maunakea Scholars program celebrates 10-year anniversary
By Stefan Verbano for Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald
Started during the 2015-2016 school year, Maunakea Scholars celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year. It’s an innovative, one-of-a-kind program giving public high school students across the state a competitive chance to conduct research at Maunakea’s telescope array — something the program’s administrators have affectionately dubbed “telescope time.”
Community Astronomy and Mutual Stewardship at the AAS Winter Meeting
Maunakea Observatories, ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, and the Hawaiʻi I Ke Alo Mutual Stewardship Project, in partnership with the American Astronomical Society (AAS), convened a three-day, in-person summit focused on implementing community models of astronomy and mutual stewardship.
Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Day Returns to Hilo!
For the first time in five years, Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Science Day returned to the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (UHH). Nearly 350 students and adults explored science, astronomy, and Hawaiian culture at this community event celebrating Ellison’s incredible legacy as Hawai‘i’s first astronaut and the first Asian American astronaut to reach space.
Hawaiian Skies: Kaulua 2026
The night sky is full of stories, lessons, and wisdom that have been passed down for generations. Leilehua Yuen takes us through these stories and more in her Hawaiian Skies series, guiding us through the moʻolelo of the constellations. Learn about the stories taking place in the sky during Kaulua (February 18 - March 18), a month figuratively named for its fickle weather.
Journey Through the Universe Observes 22 Years
Hawaiʻi Island’s largest astronomy education program, Journey Through the Universe, hosted its 22nd year of classroom visits, career panels, and community events in a fun-filled week, February 2 to 6, 2026 (Spring Journey Week). Throughout the week, 46 volunteer educators from the Maunakea Observatories, NASA, various universities, and more shared stellar hands-on experiences at local schools and inspired over 3,000 students to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) in classrooms ranging from second to 12th grade.
ʻŌnohiʻula: Subaru Telescope’s PFS Instrument Receives Hawaiian Name
The new Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) at the Subaru Telescope on Maunakea was gifted the Hawaiian name ʻŌnohiʻula, officially presented by Dr. Larry Kimura. ʻŌnohiʻula carries multiple layers of meanings — ʻŌnohi communicating how the instrument perceives the cosmos like an eye, and ʻula meaning red, and its association with the sacred realm of origin in Hawaiian culture.