An astronomer at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is using data from the (CFHT) on Maunakea to help reconstruct a slow-motion cosmic collision, one that has been unfolding for hundreds of millions of years.

A new study from principal investigator R. Pierre Martin, a professor of at 东精影业 Hilo, and international researchers such as PhD student Camille Poitras and colleagues at Universit茅 Laval in Qu茅bec, Canada, simulates the past, present and future of two spiral galaxies, NGC 2207 and IC 2163. The findings were recently published in .

The team used a one-of-a-kind instrument on CFHT called , which can capture incredibly detailed views of entire galaxies all at once.

“Understanding what’s happening during these collisions is fundamental to our knowledge of galaxy evolution in general,” said Martin. “Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, has been through multiple interactions during its lifetime, with one of them having likely triggered the formation of our Sun, about 5 billion years ago.”

Collision timeline

The interaction began about 440 million years ago. Since then, the galaxies have slammed together, pulled apart and reconnected multiple times. Throughout time, they are expected to merge into a single system, their original structures no longer recognizable.

To trace that evolution, the team ran hundreds of simulations, mapping gas movement, star birth, supernovae explosions, chemical enrichment and structural changes across more than 600 million years.

The study shows how these encounters reshape galaxies such as mixing elements, triggering new star formation and influencing how planetary systems could emerge.

Pierre is quick to highlight that Poitras, the study鈥檚 lead author, was responsible for most of the work encapsulated in the paper. For Poitras, who began the work as an undergraduate, the project highlights the value of early research experience. That same hands-on approach is central at 东精影业 Hilo.

Hands-on learning

“Telescope and lab time have become a central pillar of 东精影业 Hilo鈥檚 astronomy program,” Martin said. “Even if you鈥檝e never used a telescope before in your life, for the four years you have here, it鈥檚 all about hands-on experience.”

Every astronomy course includes lab work, often connecting students directly with observatories on Maunakea. Since 2017, all telescope proposals submitted through the 东精影业 Hilo telescope time allocation process must include undergraduate researchers.

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Hundreds of Hawaiʻi Island kids and families gathered at the on January 24, to celebrate the legacy of Kona-born astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy 40 years ago.

“We鈥檙e trying to continue his legacy. He inspired a lot of people, and he wanted to encourage the youngsters to work hard, study hard, and never give up on their dreams,” said Ellison鈥檚 younger brother, Claude Onizuka, who worked to bring the event back to Hawaiʻi Island after a five-year hiatus.

Organized by the (PISCES) in partnership with 东精影业 Hilo, the Onizuka Memorial Committee, Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope and the Hawaiʻi Science and Technology Museum, the day marked a return for the beloved community tradition, paused since the pandemic.

The event featured a keynote by NASA astronaut Donald R. Pettit, whose appearance was funded by American Savings Bank. Pettit, who has spent 590 days in space and is part of the team preparing for the Artemis II mission, challenged young attendees.

“I want them to think, ‘Wow, flying into space, it鈥檚 exploration, it鈥檚 tough, it鈥檚 difficult, but it鈥檚 something I want to do!’ and I hope everyone of these students [will] come and arm wrestle me for my job!”

Approximately 350 attendees participated in hands-on workshops from building volcanoes to learning traditional Polynesian canoe lashing. Interactive exhibits featured liquid nitrogen demos, Maunakea Observatory displays, and a state-qualifying VEX IQ Robotics tournament hosted by Wai膩kea Intermediate School.

Ellison Onizuka was the first Asian American and first person of Japanese ancestry to reach space when he completed the Space Shuttle Discovery mission in 1985. He remains the only NASA astronaut from Hawaiʻi.

AstroDay West 2025 brought a wave of excitement to Kona Commons as crowds gathered around science booths, telescopes and live demonstrations. The University of Hawaiʻi (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鈥檚 surface. Nearby booths showed how stars form, how weather shapes our islands and how scientists observe the sky from Hawaiʻi鈥檚 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-Hawaiʻi Telescope, TMT International Observatory, NASA Solar System Ambassadors and the 东精影业 Hilo .

A new chapter in automated astronomy has begun on Maunakea. The University of Hawaiʻi (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鈥檚 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鈥檚 robotic adaptive optics program. “This system demonstrates how University of Hawaiʻi 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 have close stellar companions,” Huber said. “Robo-AO-2鈥檚 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 东精影业 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 own facilities. The 东精影业 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鈥攖hey鈥檙e helping to build and improve them,” Baranec said. “Those skills are invaluable for careers in astronomy and engineering.”

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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 orbit and location suggest something extraordinary occurred in our cosmic past, and we鈥檙e just beginning to piece the story together.”

Unusual orbit confirmed

Follow-up observations using the (CFHT) on Maunakea, confirmed the object鈥檚 unusual orbit. Archival data from telescopes in Chile and Arizona helped track Ammonite鈥檚 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鈥檚 differing orbit challenges existing models and may force scientists to rethink their understanding of the Solar System鈥檚 outermost reaches.

“This kind of discovery shows just how important Hawaiʻi鈥檚 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鈥攄istant 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 University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy (IfA) is officially initiating the decommissioning process for the 东精影业-owned UKIRT telescope on Maunakea, formerly known as the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. This marks another important milestone in 东精影业鈥檚 long-term commitment to responsible stewardship of the mauna.

UKIRT will be the third Maunakea observatory to be decommissioned under 东精影业鈥檚 Maunakea Comprehensive Management Plan, following Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) and 东精影业 Hilo H艒k奴 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 东精影业 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 东精影业 Hilo (CMS). As with the CSO and H艒k奴 Keʻa projects, CMS will consult with the and engage the Hawaiʻi Island community throughout the process.

“This is a deeply meaningful process for 东精影业 and the broader community,” said Greg Chun, executive director of CMS. “Decommissioning is more than physical removal, it鈥檚 about honoring our commitments, restoring the ʻ膩ina (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 H艒k奴 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 东精影业 President Wendy Hensel. “What strikes me most is the CMS team鈥檚 deep sense of responsibility to carrying out 东精影业鈥檚 commitments and ensuring this process is conducted responsibly, with great care and respect for this special place.”

UKIRT鈥檚 storied history

The UKIRT Observatory began operations in 1979 and was originally built and operated by the United Kingdom鈥檚 science agencies. Over the decades, it has contributed to significant scientific advancements and helped establish Hawaiʻi 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鈥檚 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 Hawaiʻi鈥檚 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 Hawaiʻi鈥檚 (IfA), its research and its students. IfA is a globally renowned research center and home to one of the world鈥檚 largest university-based astronomy programs, with observatories on Maunakea and Haleakal膩 that have helped make some of the most remarkable cosmic discoveries ranging from exoplanets to distant galactic phenomena.

东精影业 News sat down with IfA Director Doug Simons to discuss how the proposed cuts may affect Hawaiʻi鈥檚 standing in the global astronomy community.

What鈥檚 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鈥檚 budget at NASA has been cut, and a comparable 50% or so has been cut at NSF. So for astronomy here in Hawaiʻi, 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鈥檚 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 Haleakal膩, and its role in training 东精影业 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鈥檚 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 Hawaiʻi is a global leader in astronomy?

Simons: Hawaiʻi 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 Hawaiʻi, 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 Hawaiʻi鈥檚 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 Hawaiʻi 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 Hawaiʻi Island. Over a hundred companies help support Hawaiʻi 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.

东精影业-operated telescopes in partnership with NASA play a leading role in spotting potentially dangerous asteroids. What does the funding picture currently look like for 东精影业鈥檚 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 Haleakal膩, 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 Hawaiʻi astronomy?

Simons: It is extremely disappointing, particularly because I’ve watched the evolution of Hawaiʻi 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 Hawaiʻi鈥檚 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鈥檝e 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 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 东精影业鈥檚 Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System with telescopes on Haleakal膩 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鈥檛 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鈥攆orming 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 just mark the dramatic end of a massive star鈥檚 life. They illuminate the processes responsible for growing the largest black holes in the universe,” said Hinkle.

Crowds gathered at Prince Kūhiō Plaza in Hilo on May 3 for AstroDay 2025, a free celebration of science, technology and space exploration. Faculty, staff and students from the University of Hawaiʻi (IfA) were among scientists and scholars presenting everything from hands-on activities, live science shows to robotics at the 23rd annual event hosted by Maunakea Observatories.

More than 30 organizations from across Hawaiʻi came together to share the wonders of science with keiki and their families. Exhibits invited participants to build model comets, create exoplanets and explore the universe through ultraviolet cameras.

“Everyone鈥檚 enthusiastic about sharing their science, and a lot of that energy gets transported to the general public, and that鈥檚 what we hope the public will come away with,” said Carolyn Kaichi, education and outreach specialist at IfA.

Seeds of inspiration

For many, the event was more than just fun鈥攊t was deeply personal. Sage Constantinou, a graduate student at IfA, remembered how AstroDay helped spark his own scientific journey.

“The earlier you can get kids exposed to this sort of thing the longer it has to stew,” Constantinou said. “I used to be a little kid at these events. I grew up here in this town. It鈥檚 a big part of why I was able to follow my own path in education and eventually pursue my own research.”

The event celebrated student creativity through the popular Maunakea Coin Contest. Ros Haleyah Mari Asuncion Ganot, an 11th grader at Pāhoa High and Intermediate School, earned first place with her astronomy-inspired design.