The University of �鶹��ý is taking another significant step toward reducing the number of telescopes on Maunakea, announcing July 1, 2026 that science operations at UKIRT will conclude on September 15. Aging facilities and funding challenges, especially given the expiration of the UH master lease in 2033, in addition to the obligations contained in the UH Master Plan, led to the decision to end science operations. The U.S. Naval Observatory has sponsored scientific research at UKIRT for many years, supporting decades of discovery through the telescope.

UKIRT will become the third Maunakea telescope to be decommissioned. In 2025, the UH (IfA) announced plans to remove the observatory following the conclusion of its science mission. Current planning targets completion of the decommissioning process by 2030.

“UKIRT has had an extraordinary run and has been one of the most prolific telescopes on the planet,” said Doug Simons, director of IfA. “For nearly five decades it has expanded our understanding of the universe, helped train generations of astronomers and strengthened �鶹��ý‘s reputation as one of the world’s premier locations for astronomical discovery.”

Decades of discovery

IfA assumed ownership of UKIRT in 2014 after the United Kingdom ended funding for the facility. The telescopes on Maunakea rank among the world’s most scientifically productive collections of observatories, and UKIRT has been an important contributor to that legacy. Since opening in 1979, it has helped scientists understand how stars and planets form, map vast regions of the Milky Way and study distant galaxies.

Eight full-time employees currently support UKIRT operations and will continue to have the opportunity to support operations through the September 15 closure date.

Proven decommissioning process

The decommissioning of the first two Maunakea telescopes, the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory and the UH Hilo Hōkū Keʻa Observatory, was completed in 2024. Under the UH-developed Maunakea Master Plan and (CMP), the university committed to reducing the number of observatories on Maunakea while continuing world-class astronomy and responsible stewardship.

Guided by the CMP‘s , the UH Hilo Center for Maunakea Stewardship (CMS) oversaw the first two decommissioning projects. This fall, UH will hire a consultant to develop a detailed cost estimate, project schedule and permitting plan for the UKIRT decommissioning.The construction company selected for the project will coordinate closely with CMS, IfA, and other UH offices, building on the practices established during the previous decommissioning projects. Those practices include cultural training for construction crews and the integration of Native Hawaiian protocol into every stage of the work, from deconstruction through site restoration.

“Decommissioning is about honoring our commitment to care for Maunakea,” said Greg Chun, CMS executive director. “Every decommissioning project is an opportunity to demonstrate that our commitment extends beyond astronomy to restoring these sites with care, respect and purpose.”

Management responsibilities for Maunakea are transitioning from CMS to the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA), established by the �鶹��ý State Legislature in 2022. Throughout the UKIRT planning, permitting and decommissioning process, CMS will continue working closely with MKSOA while engaging the �鶹��ý Island community.

The University of �鶹��ý (IfA)’s annual TeachAstro program brought 16 STEM teachers to Hilo for a week of hands-on learning, collaboration and discovery. TeachAstro is designed to share astronomy with �鶹��ý’s grade 6–12 classrooms and to foster a community of practice in astronomy education throughout the state.

The third year of this summer professional development program hosted a cohort of 12 teachers from �鶹��ý Island and four from Oʻahu. Throughout the week, participants worked alongside IfA faculty to learn about state-of-the-art astronomy data and tools and then collaborated to develop classroom lessons to bring astronomy concepts back to their students. The program concluded with educators presenting their newly created lesson plans.

“TeachAstro is about giving teachers authentic experiences in astronomy and helping them transform those experiences into engaging lessons for their students,” said IfA faculty member and TeachAstro director Michael Liu. “When our teachers are excited and inspired, that enthusiasm reaches thousands of students across the state.”

Astronomy up close

Participants also took a daytime excursion to the summit of Maunakea and visited several world-class observatories including UH’s , the , the , and . Alumni from previous TeachAstro programs also attended.

New additions to TeachAstro this year included an in-person session at to witness nighttime observing in action, as well as an evening talk-story session at the at UH Hilo that focused on Maunakea, led by members from the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority.

The program was led by UH faculty members Michael Liu, Jennifer van Saders, David Jones and Mike Nassir, along with science teacher Stephanie Pickett of Kealakehe High School. It was supported by partnerships with ʻImiloa and Keck Observatory, and funding was provided by the Heising-Simons Foundation.

“Teachers play a critical role in inspiring the next generation of scientists and explorers,” said IfA Director Doug Simons. “Programs like TeachAstro help build those connections and expand opportunities for students throughout �鶹��ý.”

The next TeachAstro program is planned for summer 2027 on Oʻahu.

The University of �鶹��ý welcomed about 50 international diplomats to Maunakea and the UH Hilo for a firsthand look at the university’s leading role in world-class astronomy, scientific discoveries and cultural stewardship that have helped make �鶹��ý a global center for space research.

The visit, coordinated through the U.S. Department of Defense’s annual Defense Attaché Orientation Program, brought diplomats to Maunakea where they learned how UH researchers and international partners are helping drive some of the world’s most important astronomical discoveries, from distant exoplanets and mysterious brown dwarfs to black holes, advanced robotic optics technology and some of the farthest known objects in the universe.

“Maunakea has become a model for how nations can work together in the pursuit of knowledge,” said Doug Simons, director of the UH . “The discoveries made here belong to all humanity.”

Summit science, stewardship

Atop the summit of Maunakea, teams from the such as W. M. Keck Observatory, Canada-France-�鶹��ý Telescope, Subaru Telescope and UH’s NASA Infrared Telescope Facility guided diplomats through observatory facilities. �鶹��ý astronomy consistently ranks number one in the world in science impact and output.

At Halepōhaku, located within Maunakea’s mid-level elevation, the group was welcomed with oli (chant) and cultural protocol led by staff from the UH Hilo (CMS). The welcome offered diplomats an introduction to the cultural significance of the mauna (mountain) before continuing their visit.

Staff also shared the mountain’s environmental and cultural significance, restoration projects and ongoing stewardship work. Diplomats learned about UH’s continued efforts to responsibly decommission telescopes as part of its long-term stewardship commitments.

“Our responsibility is to care for this mauna thoughtfully and respectfully,” said Greg Chun, executive director of CMS. “Stewardship guides every part of the work happening on Maunakea, from protecting natural and cultural resources to supporting world-class science.”

Cultural connections

The visit also included a stop at ʻImiloa, where diplomats were welcomed with Hawaiian chant and lei. Staff and students led them through an engaging exploration of Polynesian wayfinding and navigation. Hands-on activities including traditional knot tying and an exploration of Hawaiian canoe, or waʻa.

For many in the group, it was their first encounter with the tradition of Polynesian navigation and the recognition of Hawaiians as among the world’s early astronomers, a story that clearly resonated as guests lingered over exhibits and engaged in lively conversation with staff.

“This is a place where �鶹��ý’s culture and international scientific perspectives come together in ways that deepen and strengthen one another,” said Kaʻiu Kimura, executive director of UH �ᾱ����’s ʻImiloa Center. “We wanted our guests to understand the profound cultural significance of Maunakea and the shared responsibility that comes with caring for a place of such importance.”

Astronomers at the University of �鶹��ý have precisely measured the age of a nearby Sun-like star and its unusual companion, known as a brown dwarf, an object that falls between a planet and a star. The discovery offers new clues into how brown dwarfs grow and change over time.

Using the on Maunakea, the team from the UH (IfA) studied the HR 7672 system, composed of a Sun-like star and a faint brown dwarf companion. With an instrument called the Keck Planet Finder, they tracked tiny five-minute pulsationss in the star’s light and used them to estimate its age to be about 2.3 billion years. The study has been recently published in .

Because the brown dwarf formed at the same time as the star, the star’s age also reveals the companion’s age, giving researchers a rare chance to check if their models of how brown dwarfs cool throughout time are correct.

“This is like finally having a reliable clock for an object we’ve been trying to understand for years,” said IfA Parrent Fellow Yaguang Li, who led the study. “It really helps us place evolutionary models under stringent tests and determine which physical ingredients are correct.”

Shaping discovery

For more than two decades, the HR 7672 system has helped shape how astronomers study brown dwarfs. Its companion, HR 7672B, was discovered in 2002 and was one of the first brown dwarfs ever directly imaged around a Sun-like star using adaptive optics (AO), a technology that sharpens images blurred by Earth’s atmosphere. Those early observations helped reveal how rare brown dwarfs are around Sun-like stars at close orbital distances.

Brown dwarfs do not sustain the same energy-producing reactions as stars. Instead, they slowly cool and fade over time. But testing how that happens has been difficult, in part because scientists rarely know their exact ages.

With this new measurement, paired with what is already known about the object’s energy output and mass, HR 7672B now stands out as a key reference point. The team compared their findings with several models and found the closest match with newer theories that better describe what’s happening inside these objects.

Full circle

The work highlights the long impact of the at IfA. More than 20 years ago, then-fellow Michael Liu discovered HR 7672B using Keck AO. Today, Li, the current Parrent Fellow, is building on that work with this new high-precision age-dating of the same system.

“HR 7672B was one of the first discoveries I made as a Parrent Fellow when I came to UH,” said Liu, IfA faculty member and co-author of the study. “It’s exciting to see new work from another Parrent Fellow make this object even more valuable for understanding how brown dwarfs evolve.”

Astronomers using the have taken a major step in understanding the distant planet Uranus. By combining data from Keck Observatory with the Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope, researchers created the first complete picture of how light reflects off Uranus’s faint outer rings.

The results reveal two very different stories. One ring appears to be made of tiny grains of water ice, likely chipped off a small moon. The other is darker and rocky, mixed with carbon-rich material. Together, they show how collisions and impacts continue to shape the planet’s ring system.

The findings offer new clues about how planets and their moons form and change throughout time.

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University of �鶹��ý President Emeritus David Lassner and his team—including Vice President for Information Technology Garret Yoshimi and Director for Network Infrastructure Chris Zane—have been awarded the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California . The award recognizes more than 35 years of visionary leadership in connecting �鶹��ý and the broader Pacific to the global research community.

Transforming science, education

Since establishing the first international internet connection to Australia via �鶹��ý in 1989, the UH team has fundamentally transformed global science and education. Their efforts in securing high-capacity networking for the premier astronomical observatories on Maunakea and Haleakalā have supported over $1 billion in scientific investment. The data transmitted through these connections contributed directly to two Nobel Prizes in Physics, including discoveries regarding the accelerating expansion of the universe and supermassive black holes.

Beyond these technical milestones, the UH team’s work is deeply rooted in a commitment to Pacific Island communities. By expanding ultra-high bandwidth networks, they have ensured that remote islands on the front lines of climate change have equal access to vital global research resources.

“The University of �鶹��ý‘s geographic position in the middle of the Pacific is only part of the story; what truly makes today’s Pacific Wave (a high-capacity network) connectivity possible is the people,” said Jonah Keough, managing director of Pacific Wave. “David, Garret and Chris understand that networks are built on relationships as much as fiber.”

Connecting through fiber, light

Lassner has compared this modern digital connectivity to traditional Polynesian wayfinding. Having sailed aboard ��ō��ū����ʻ��’s Worldwide Voyage, Lassner noted that just as navigators connected Pacific peoples using stars, UH is connecting them through fiber and light.

“To me, that’s what the World Wide Voyage and mālama honua (to care for our Earth) stand for—sustainability, Indigenous-serving education, research and our service to the community,” Lassner said. “It’s an incredible opportunity to do exactly what the University of �鶹��ý is supposed to be doing.”

The award will be formally presented at CENIC’s “The Right Connection” conference in Monterey, California, March 31–April 1, 2026.

AstroDay West 2025 brought a wave of excitement to Kona Commons as crowds gathered around science booths, telescopes and live demonstrations. The University of �鶹��ý (IfA) joined partners across the island to offer a day of engaging ways to explore the universe at the annual event hosted by .

The day-long celebration offered family-friendly learning, free giveaways and simple science experiments designed to spark curiosity. Organizers said the goal was to make astronomy feel approachable for everyone.

“We were excited to provide keiki and families with the opportunity to learn more about science and astronomy right here in Kona,” said Carolyn Kaichi, education and outreach specialist at IfA. “Through hands-on learning and key partnerships with organizations across the island, we hoped to inspire the next generation of local science and technology leaders.”

Sun, sky and science

Visitors lined up to use a special solar telescope to safely view details on the sun’s surface. Nearby booths showed how stars form, how weather shapes our islands and how scientists observe the sky from �鶹��ý’s mountaintops. IfA staff and students answered questions, guided activities and shared stories about their work.

AstroDay has long been a staple for families interested in science with a mission to strengthen public understanding of astronomy and create more opportunities for learning.

The event also featured displays and expertise from a wide range of partners, such as Las Cumbres Observatory, W. M. Keck Observatory, Gemini Observatory, Subaru Telescope, Canada-France-�鶹��ý Telescope, TMT International Observatory, NASA Solar System Ambassadors and the UH Hilo .

A new chapter in automated astronomy has begun on Maunakea. The University of �鶹��ý (IfA) has launched initial science operations for , a robotic laser adaptive optics system now operating at the . The milestone marks a major leap in how astronomers observe the night sky.

Robo-AO-2 is designed to correct the blur caused by Earth’s atmosphere, sharpening images of hundreds of objects each night with minimal human oversight. The system is led by astronomer Christoph Baranec, who has spent years advancing adaptive optics technology at IfA.

“Making Robo-AO-2 operational represents years of dedicated engineering and innovation,” said Baranec, a member of IfA’s robotic adaptive optics program. “This system demonstrates how University of �鶹��ý facilities continue to pioneer technologies that eventually make their way to the world’s largest telescopes and space missions.”

Hunting for habitable worlds

One of the first researchers to use the system is graduate student Guillaume Huber. He is conducting observations for NASA’s future , which will search for signs of life on planets around nearby stars. Huber is vetting a catalog of nearby stars that could host Earth-like planets.

“The Habitable Worlds Observatory will search for signs of life on planets orbiting other stars, but first we need to ensure those target stars don’t have close stellar companions,” Huber said. “Robo-AO-2’s ability to rapidly survey hundreds of targets makes it uniquely suited for this preparatory work.”

Advancing automation

New funding is driving the system even further. This year, the National Science Foundation and the Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation awarded $679,075 to fully automate Robo-AO-2. The NSF award will also support testing a new adaptive secondary mirror for the UH 2.2-meter telescope, led by IfA astronomer Mark Chun. This technology could significantly improve image quality for future ground-based observatories.

“The adaptive secondary mirror will allow us to correct atmospheric turbulence directly at the telescope’s secondary mirror,” Baranec said. “Robo-AO-2 will play a crucial role in testing and validating this technology.”

Training the next generation

For IfA, the project is also about training. Students gain rare hands-on experience with real instruments at the university’s own facilities. The UH 2.2-meter telescope serves as a crucial testbed where new instruments and techniques can be developed before deployment on larger facilities.

“Students are not just operating instruments—they’re helping to build and improve them,” Baranec said. “Those skills are invaluable for careers in astronomy and engineering.”

High atop Maunakea, employees from the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo are part of the dedicated team keeping observatory operations running smoothly, from clearing roads to public safety and supporting scientists at 14,000 feet.

Their behind-the-scenes efforts make it possible to advance world-class astronomy all while caring for the mountain’s cultural and natural resources.

A groundbreaking new instrument that lets astronomers see deeper into space than ever before using a single telescope was brought to life with help from a University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� faculty member. Installed on the atop Maunakea, the first-of-its-kind device set a new benchmark for how scientists study distant stars and planets.

The instrument, called a photonic lantern, separates starlight into multiple channels, like breaking a musical chord into individual notes, allowing computers to rebuild an ultra-clear image. It’s part of a new instrument called FIRST-PL, developed and led by UH and the Paris Observatory, and installed on the advanced optics platform (Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics) at .

“What excites me most is that this instrument blends cutting-edge photonics with the precision engineering done here in �鶹��ý,” said Sébastien Vievard, a faculty member from the UH Space Science and Engineering Initiative (SSEI) a joint program of the UH ����ԴDz� and . “It shows how collaboration across the world, and across disciplines, can literally change the way we see the cosmos.”

Sharper cosmic views

The breakthrough, published in , used the new setup to study a nearby star called beta Canis Minoris and revealed that its fast-spinning gas disk is unexpectedly lopsided, a detail never seen until now.

“This device splits the starlight according to its patterns of fluctuation, keeping subtle details that are otherwise lost. By reassembling the measurements of the outputs, we could reconstruct a very high-resolution image of a disk around a nearby star,” said Yoo Jung Kim, a graduate student at UCLA, and lead author on the study.

The international team included researchers from UH, UCLA, the Paris Observatory, the University of Sydney and Subaru Telescope.

�鶹��ý’s space future

The achievement marks a milestone for UH’s new Space Science and Engineering Initiative, which launched its first engineering courses at UH Hilo in fall 2024. The initiative aims to position �鶹��ý as a global hub for space research, technology development, and workforce training. Vievard, one of the program’s founding faculty members, is helping to lead this new academic path that blends classroom learning with hands-on engineering experience.

The University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents approved the creation of a permitted interaction group at its September 18 meeting to examine possible changes to the UH System’s leadership structures, which oversee the 10 campuses statewide. The decision came after a presentation by UH President Wendy Hensel outlining the opportunities and challenges of restructuring the 10-campus system.

The options under consideration include separating �鶹��ý����ԴDz� leadership from the UH System, as the UH President currently oversees both the system and non-academic functions at UH ����ԴDz�, and integrating the community colleges more fully with the other three four-year campuses under systemwide administration.

The State of �鶹��ý’s Sunshine Law governing open public meetings allows a public board to appoint a group consisting of less than a quorum of its members to investigate matters for the board. After the group undertakes its assigned task, its findings and recommendations must be presented to the board at a public meeting, and the board cannot act on any recommendations until a subsequent public meeting.

The regents appointed to the group are Vice Chair Mike Miyahira, Vice Chair Joshua Faumuina, Regent Neil Abercrombie, Regent Diane Paloma, and Regent Laurie Tochiki.

Maunakea permitted interaction group

In August, the regents approved another permitted interaction group to investigate the status of the transition of Maunakea stewardship from UH to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, by July 1, 2028, pursuant to Act 255 (2021). The members of that group are Vice Chair Miyahira, Regent Wayne Higaki, Chair Gabe Lee, Regent Abercrombie and Regent Lauren Akitake.

The University of �鶹��ý at Hilo (CMS) is advancing environmental stewardship on the mauna by replacing underground fuel storage tanks (USTs) at Halepōhaku, the mid-level facilities, with a modern system. A draft Environmental Assessment (EA) is being prepared under the oversight of the Maunakea Joint Management Committee, a partnership between CMS and the Mauna Kea Stewardship Oversight Authority (MKSOA).

UH is removing the USTs to meet a 2028 state regulatory deadline (�鶹��ý Administrative Rules Chapter 11-280.1-21). Under the state rule, any tanks built before August 9, 2013, must be upgraded with extra safety protection by July 15, 2028. If they are not upgraded by then, they must be permanently shut down.

The project would replace three underground fuel tanks and buried fuel lines with two smaller, above-ground double-wall tanks. The new tanks would sit on a concrete pad with built-in pumps and a containment berm. This reduces the facility footprint from about 1,945 square feet to 322 square feet and lowers fuel storage capacity from 18,000 gallons to 6,000 gallons.

Fuel stored at Halepōhaku is vital for snow plows and heavy machinery that keep Maunakea’s roads clear and safe. Reliable access supports public safety, cultural practitioners and observatory staff. Storing fuel on the mauna also reduces emissions by limiting the number of trips needed to haul fuel up the mountain.

“Fuel storage is critical for keeping Maunakea’s roads safe and accessible during weather events and natural disasters,” said Greg Chun, executive director of CMS. “Following publication of the draft EA, we look forward to gathering public input so this project reflects both essential needs and our shared commitment to stewardship.”

Initial outreach efforts

CMS has hired Sustainable Resources Group International, Inc. to prepare the draft EA. The environmental consulting firm is assessing the project site, studying potential impacts, and conducting a Ka Paʻakai analysis. As part of this work, it is reaching out to stakeholder agencies and individuals with knowledge of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices connected to the area.

The project area is in a previously disturbed utilities yard and is not known to be used by cultural practitioners or visitors. One māmane tree will be removed, though 40 new trees have already been planted nearby as part of restoration efforts. No historic sites will be directly affected. An archaeological monitor will be present during ground work.

“True stewardship of Maunakea requires laulima, working together with the community,” said John De Fries, executive director of MKSOA. “As this process advances, there will be opportunities for manaʻo from the public to help guide this project with respect and responsibility.”

When the draft EA is published in the �鶹��ý Office of Planning and Sustainable Development’s Environmental Notice, the public will have 30 days to provide comments. Community members, cultural practitioners, and other stakeholders are invited to share their perspectives to help shape the final decisions. All feedback will be reviewed by the project team, and adjustments to the Proposed Action may be made based on the input received.

Scientists using the on Maunakea have discovered a new celestial object that could provide groundbreaking insight into the earliest days of our Solar System. The object, officially named 2023 KQ14 and nicknamed “Ammonite” by the research team, is believed to be a preserved relic or “fossil” from the Solar System’s infancy.

The discovery recently published in is part of the FOSSIL project (Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy), an international effort led by researchers in Japan and Taiwan. Using Subaru Telescope’s powerful wide-field Hyper Suprime-Cam, the team identified Ammonite in a distant, stable orbit far beyond Neptune, an area that has remained largely untouched since the Solar System’s formation more than 4.5 billion years ago.

“This find pushes the boundaries of what we know about the outer Solar System,” said Fumi Yoshida, principal investigator of the FOSSIL project. “Ammonite’s orbit and location suggest something extraordinary occurred in our cosmic past, and we’re just beginning to piece the story together.”

Unusual orbit confirmed

Follow-up observations using the (CFHT) on Maunakea, confirmed the object’s unusual orbit. Archival data from telescopes in Chile and Arizona helped track Ammonite’s motion across nearly two decades, revealing a remarkably stable path that makes it distinct from other known distant objects.

According to researchers, what makes this discovery especially exciting is its implications for the still-unproven Planet Nine theory which is a hypothesized large planet far beyond Pluto. Ammonite’s differing orbit challenges existing models and may force scientists to rethink their understanding of the Solar System’s outermost reaches.

“This kind of discovery shows just how important �鶹��ý’s telescopes are to global science,” said Kumiko Usuda-Sato, outreach specialist at Subaru Telescope. “We mahalo the community for allowing us to continue exploring the cosmos from Maunakea, a place of deep cultural and natural significance.”

Ammonite is part of a rare group of celestial bodies known as Sedna-like objects—distant icy worlds with orbits that carry them far beyond Neptune. These objects are defined by their extremely distant perihelion, or closest point to the Sun. Until now, only three such objects had been identified.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees announced on June 26 () that it is withdrawing its two lawsuits concerning Maunakea, calling the decision “a pivotal shift towards collaborative stewardship and cultural preservation of the sacred mountain.”

The first lawsuit, filed in 2017, sought to hold the State of �鶹��ý, the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and the University of �鶹��ý accountable for what it described as decades of mismanagement, an allegation UH repeatedly challenged.

“We look forward to this new chapter of unity and shared responsibility with OHA and Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA), and we affirm our longstanding commitment to responsibly stewarding Maunakea’s natural and cultural resources,” said UH Hilo Center for Maunakea Stewardship Director Greg Chun. “We deeply appreciate the dedication of the many people who have cared for the mauna over the decades, including rangers, biologists, visitor center staff, volunteer board members, and many others who have been implicated in the lawsuit’s claims. Your service is not unnoticed.”

The second lawsuit, filed in January 2024, challenged the constitutionality of Act 255, which established the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA). Governor Josh Green commended the decision by OHA, saying it opened a new chapter of unity and shared responsibility.

The University of �鶹��ý Institute for Astronomy (IfA) is officially initiating the decommissioning process for the UH-owned UKIRT telescope on Maunakea, formerly known as the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. This marks another important milestone in UH’s long-term commitment to responsible stewardship of the mauna.

UKIRT will be the third Maunakea observatory to be decommissioned under UH’s Maunakea Comprehensive Management Plan, following Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) and UH Hilo Hōkū Keʻa Observatory, both completed in 2024.

“I am glad to see us making progress on our commitment to decommission another facility on the mauna,” said UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin. “Just as importantly, we do this work with the full awareness of the cultural and environmental significance of this place.”

The UKIRT decommissioning will be done in close coordination with UH Hilo (CMS). As with the CSO and Hōkū Keʻa projects, CMS will consult with the and engage the �鶹��ý Island community throughout the process.

“This is a deeply meaningful process for UH and the broader community,” said Greg Chun, executive director of CMS. “Decommissioning is more than physical removal, it’s about honoring our commitments, restoring the ʻāina (land), and engaging with cultural and community voices every step of the way.”

The process will begin with the submission of a Notice of Intent to decommission followed by a request for proposals. The selected company will be required to coordinate closely with CMS and follow the . On-site work to remove the telescope will begin once the planning, permitting and consultation processes are complete.

The CSO and Hōkū Keʻa decommissionings set a precedent for enhancing the cultural sensitivity of those working on large construction projects on the mauna. Crews underwent cultural training, and Native Hawaiian protocol was carefully integrated into each stage of the process, from deconstruction to restoration.

“Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting the mauna and witnessing the outstanding work CMS has done to successfully oversee the decommissioning of the first two observatories,” said UH President Wendy Hensel. “What strikes me most is the CMS team’s deep sense of responsibility to carrying out UH’s commitments and ensuring this process is conducted responsibly, with great care and respect for this special place.”

UKIRT’s storied history

The UKIRT Observatory began operations in 1979 and was originally built and operated by the United Kingdom’s science agencies. Over the decades, it has contributed to significant scientific advancements and helped establish �鶹��ý as a global center for astronomical research. UKIRT is especially known for extending infrared survey imaging to unprecedented depths and coverage.

In 2014, ownership of the observatory was transferred to IfA after the UK ended its funding for the facility. In recent years, the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) became the principal sponsor of UKIRT operations, enabling an all-sky infrared survey that has supported a wide range of astrophysical research and enhanced the Celestial Reference Frame, a critical system used for global positional measurements, including GPS.

“It was decided that the decommissioning process would begin once the all-sky survey is complete,” said Doug Simons, director at IfA. “I am deeply grateful for the USNO’s support in recent years. Right up to the end, UKIRT remained highly productive and will leave a lasting scientific legacy.”

UKIRT will continue its scientific work during the initial stages of the decommissioning process, including the required environment studies, permits, and community consultations needed before site work can begin.

Severe budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration to NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are raising major concerns within �鶹��ý’s astronomy community. Aside from the potential loss of federal funding for the Thirty Meter Telescope, funding reductions could also have wide-ranging implications for the University of �鶹��ý’s (IfA), its research and its students. IfA is a globally renowned research center and home to one of the world’s largest university-based astronomy programs, with observatories on Maunakea and Haleakalā that have helped make some of the most remarkable cosmic discoveries ranging from exoplanets to distant galactic phenomena.

UH News sat down with IfA Director Doug Simons to discuss how the proposed cuts may affect �鶹��ý’s standing in the global astronomy community.

What’s at stake moving forward?

Simons: The proposed fiscal year 2026 budgets at NASA and NSF have been cut severely and pretty much uniformly. Almost half of the Science Mission Directorate’s budget at NASA has been cut, and a comparable 50% or so has been cut at NSF. So for astronomy here in �鶹��ý, there are a number of facilities that are directly impacted, including 17% cut from the W.M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea and 39% cut in the U.S. portion of the Gemini International observatory. We’re also looking at the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) no longer being funded through the construction queue at NSF as part of this whole process.

What impact could these cuts have on grad students and research efforts at IfA?

Simons: Yes, a large fraction of our graduate program is sponsored by NASA and NSF, so our education program is definitely put at risk by these proposed cuts. The related threat of reduced numbers of observatories means that our research program at IfA is also at risk. It’s important to realize that a large fraction of observing time at IfA goes to our graduate students and programs involving undergraduates, giving them unique research opportunities compared to most other astronomy graduate programs. So again, I have a lot of concern near and long term about the impacts of these cuts to our research and education program, and associated knock-on effects.

What would the cuts mean for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) on Haleakalā, and its role in training UH astronomy students?

Simons: I’m very concerned about DKIST. They also have a proposed 40% cut, and that’s a brand new, $350+ million state-of-the-art solar telescope, the best ever built, that’s just out of the “starting blocks.” I honestly don’t know what problem is solved by massive cuts to a brand new observatory like DKIST.

Would you say �鶹��ý is a global leader in astronomy?

Simons: �鶹��ý astronomy is number one in the world in terms of science output, and that is absolutely at risk with deep cuts proposed in the NASA and NSF programs. Much of the U.S. northern hemisphere ground based astronomy program is in �鶹��ý, so those cuts go right to the core of U.S. astronomy research. There are also proposed cuts in Federal research facilities in Chile, so the net effect, if we do not turn this around, will be widespread and lasting. It takes a long time to design, build, fund and operate these observatories and a large part of 21st century astronomy leadership will likely go to Europe/Asia, where budgets for astronomy research remain supportive.

If these cuts move forward, what impact could it have on �鶹��ý’s economy, considering astronomy provides local jobs and brings in significant funding?

Simons: The latest (2019) estimate is astronomy provides about $220 million of economic impact statewide, with about half of that on �鶹��ý Island. Nearly 600 people are employed by the Maunakea Observatories, making Maunakea astronomy one of the largest providers of good-paying STEM jobs on the island. The combined operating budgets for the Maunakea Observatories is $70 million – $80 million annually, with most of those funds being directly injected into the local economy through the salaries of observatory staff. More than $2 million is invested annually by the Maunakea Observatories in education and outreach programs across �鶹��ý Island. Over a hundred companies help support �鶹��ý observatories, diversifying economic benefits across a wide range of contractors and professionals. The total number of people directly employed by astronomy is closer to 1,000 including Maui and Oʻahu, where similar economic “multipliers” occur.

UH-operated telescopes in partnership with NASA play a leading role in spotting potentially dangerous asteroids. What does the funding picture currently look like for UH’s planetary defense work?

Simons: I was relieved to see that NASA retained its planetary defense program as a high priority. For IfA, that secures the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Maunakea, PanSTARRS, which includes a pair of telescopes on Haleakalā, and ATLAS. There are now five ATLAS telescopes worldwide, which basically serve as the last stand, if you will, for detecting potential earth impactors. That’s a total of eight telescopes IfA owns/operates that could have been lost had NASA decided that the planetary defense program was not a priority. I’m pleased to say that amongst everything else going on, that survived.

How do you feel about the direction these proposed cuts are taking, especially given your decades of experience in �鶹��ý astronomy?

Simons: It is extremely disappointing, particularly because I’ve watched the evolution of �鶹��ý astronomy throughout most of my career, and the net effect of these recent decisions, which again are completely self-inflicted, is to diminish our ability to answer some of the most fundamental questions in science. It doesn’t have to be that way. We are decisions away from being able to stop this, but if we don’t, we’re looking at widespread damage to long-standing investments of broad state, national and international benefit.

A team at the University of �鶹��ý’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA) has uncovered a dazzling new kind of cosmic explosion, more energetic than anything seen before. The team named these rare events “extreme nuclear transients” (ENTs), which occur when massive stars—at least three times the mass of our Sun—are shredded by supermassive black holes. The team’s findings were recently published in .

“We’ve observed stars getting ripped apart as tidal disruption events for over a decade, but these ENTs are different beasts, reaching brightnesses nearly 10 times greater than what we typically see,” said Jason Hinkle, who led the study as the final piece of his doctoral research at IfA. “Not only are ENTs far brighter than normal tidal disruption events, but they remain luminous for years, far surpassing the energy output of even the brightest known supernova explosions.”

ENTs are millions of times rarer than supernovae. But their extreme brightness means they can be seen even in extremely distant galaxies, giving scientists a new way to study black holes in the early universe.

Discovery through data

One of the ENTs studied in this work, named Gaia18cdj, released 25 times more energy than the most powerful supernova on record. In just one year, it radiated energy equal to the lifetime output of 100 Suns. Most supernovae, in comparison, produce only one Sun’s lifetime output over a similar timescale.

Hinkle first spotted the strange flares while combing through publicly available data from the Gaia space telescope. Unlike more common cosmic explosions that fade over several weeks, ENTs glow steadily for years.

“Gaia observations don’t tell you what a transient is, just that something changed in how bright it appears to us,” said Hinkle. “But when I saw these smooth, long-lived flares from the centers of distant galaxies, I knew we were looking at something unusual.”

Rare cosmic events

Hinkle used years of observations from UH’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System with telescopes on Haleakalā and Mauna Loa, the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, and other telescopes on and orbiting the Earth to characterize these events. Researchers confirmed these weren’t supernovae or normal black hole activity. Instead, ENTs appear to be caused by a smoother, more drawn-out process, stars multiple times as massive as our Sun being slowly consumed by black holes.

“ENTs provide a valuable new tool for studying massive black holes in distant galaxies,” said Benjamin Shappee, an associate professor at IfA who co-authored the study. “Because they’re so bright, we can see them across vast cosmic distances—and in astronomy, looking far away means looking back in time. By observing these prolonged flares, we gain insights into black hole growth when the universe was half its current age and galaxies were busy places—forming stars and feeding their supermassive black holes 10 times more vigorously than they do today.”

More ENTs

Astronomers hope to spot many more ENTs, with each offering a glimpse into the powerful forces shaping galaxies across cosmic time. Future observatories such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and NASA’s Roman Space Telescope could uncover many more of these spectacular events, revolutionizing our understanding of black hole activity in the distant, early universe.

“These ENTs don’t just mark the dramatic end of a massive star’s life. They illuminate the processes responsible for growing the largest black holes in the universe,” said Hinkle.

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from the UH Hilo Maunakea Rangers.

The view of Kīlauea’s eruption from earlier this year as seen from Maunakea.

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