Observatory Synergies

What Makes Maunakea a Unique Site for Astronomy

Personal Connection

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Maunakea Perspectives and the Need for a Holistic Vision for its Future

!!

Doug Simons Executive Director

Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope

Personal Connection

Fireweed spreading across MaunakeaOffice of Maunakea Management Organized Community Weed Pull

My truck hauling weeds off Maunakea

Personal Connection

Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Summit Control Room

Gemini Observatory

Animation Generated with Google Earth

Smooth air flow across the summit minimizes turbulence, helping keep images steady and increasing resolution compared to most other high altitude sites Predominant East-West air flow,

unobstructed by land for thousands of miles before it reaches Hawaii

High altitude dry air allows more infrared and microwave radiation to reach the summit

than lower elevations

Low Humidity

Diurnal inversion layer frequently caps cloud tops below the summit

Most of the Maunakea observatories have been

optimized to take advantage of these conditions

At night this inversion layer helps block city lights from below

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

SMAJCMT

CSO

UH-H

UKIRT

UH Gemini-NCFHTKeck

Subaru

IRTF

~14,000’Maunakea Summit

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide FieldHigh Resolution

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide FieldHigh ResolutionRadio/Microwave

VLBA

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

Infrared

High ResolutionRadio/Microwave

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

InfraredUltraviolet

High ResolutionRadio/Microwave

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

InfraredUltraviolet

High Resolution

Astrometry

Radio/Microwave

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

InfraredUltraviolet

Faint Object

High Resolution

Astrometry

Radio/Microwave

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

InfraredUltraviolet

Faint Object

High Resolution

Astrometry

Planetary Science

Radio/Microwave

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

InfraredUltraviolet

Faint Object

High Resolution

Target of Opportunity

Astrometry

Planetary Science

Radio/Microwave

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

InfraredUltraviolet

Faint Object

High Resolution

Target of Opportunity

Astrometry

Planetary Science

Radio/Microwave

Technology Development and Education

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Facility SpecializationWide Field

InfraredUltraviolet

Faint Object

High Resolution

Target of Opportunity

Astrometry

Planetary Science

Radio/Microwave

Technology Development and Education

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Observatory Synergies

Keck Spectrum

SMA map Gemini image

Taking advantage of facility specialization, it is very common for discoveries made at one Maunakea observatory to be

followed up by observations at another to get a much more complete understanding of these objects…

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Importance of Maunakea Observatories to Astronomy

Plot courtesy Markus Kissler-Patig

Maunakea Observatories Total

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Keck

CFHT

Subaru

VLA

MMT

Magellan

Blanco

ESO3p6

AAT HET

SOAR

SALT

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Keck

CFHT

Subaru

VLA

MMT

Magellan

Blanco

ESO3p6

AAT HET

SOAR

SALT

Total Science Impact per Telescope(2015 – Courtesy D. Crabtree)MAUNAKEA

OBSERVATORIES

Classic “3 Legged Stool” Situation

Science

Culture

Environment

We are all stewards of this sacred mountain

Sustainability through balance

MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

Mahalo and Good Night from my

‘Ohana at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope…

Let us work as a community

to form an inclusive, holistic vision for the future of Maunakea