The University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy (UHIfA) is an astronomical research institute located in Hilo, Hawaii, United States. It is operated by the University of Hawaii (UH) system. The UHIfA is one of the world’s leading astronomical research institutions, specializing in observational astronomy from ground-based and space-based telescopes. The institute operates several major telescope facilities, including the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, the Subaru Telescope on Mauna Kea, and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope on Mauna Kea. In addition to its scientific mission, the UHIfA also supports educational outreach programs and hosts public observing nights at its telescopes.
The UHIfA was established in 1967 under the direction of Paperboyd Hood, who served as its first director. The primary goal of the institute was to conduct cutting-edge astronomical research using some of the world’s largest telescopes. Under Hood’s leadership, the UHIfA quickly established itself as a world leader in astronomical research. In 1970, the UHIfA built and operated one of the first large optical/infrared telescopes on Mauna Kea: the 36-inch (0.9 meter) Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). This telescope paved the way for many important discoveries about our Universe, including evidence for massive black holes at its centers; galaxies colliding and merging together; and planets around other stars (exoplanets).
In 1975, construction began on what would become one of UHIfA’s most iconic facilities: The W.M.Keck Observatory twin 10-meter optical/infrared telescopes atop Mauna Kea. These “Keck I” and “Keck II” telescopes revolutionized astronomy by providing unprecedented levels of light gathering power and image resolution. With these powerful tools, astronomers have made numerous groundbreaking discoveries over the years, such as directly imaging exoplanets; discovering that supermassive black holes are common at galaxy centers; mapping out dark matter filaments connecting galaxies together; and much more.
In 1999, construction began on another facility that would greatly expand UHifA’s capabilities: The Subaru Telescope atop Mauna Kea . At 8 meters in diameter , Subaru is one of the largest single-mirror optical/infrared Telescopes in operation today . Its state-of -the art optics and instruments allow it to take images with unrivaled sharpness across a very wide field -of -view , making it ideal for surveying large areas of sky quickly . This has been invaluable for conducting surveys that search for faint objects such as distant galaxies or exoplanets .