Haleakala observatory6/4/2023 ![]() "The possibility that life exists elsewhere is exciting for the public, especially with the reports of biologically interesting molecules in the atmosphere of Venus, the selection of two Venus missions by NASA, the Mars Perseverance rover mission, and the upcoming Europa Clipper mission to explore Jupiter's moon,” said Karen Meech, IfA interim director. From the project team to other scientists at the SETI Institute, to our Indiegogo backers and private donors, to our outstanding observatory partners at Institute for Astronomy and Ferguson Observatory, it takes a village to tackle a project this audacious.” “There are so many people who’ve helped make LaserSETI possible that I’d like to thank. When you don’t know where to look, an instrument with an enormous field-of-view and time range allows us to cover a lot more ground than ever before.” said Eliot Gillum, principal investigator for LaserSETI. It’s the first project in either optical or radio astronomy designed to cover the entire sky. “LaserSETI is attempting a big step forward in SETI, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The two observatories will provide redundant coverage of the sky over the Pacific because, as Carl Sagan said, “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Cameras at the new site in Hawai’i will be aimed east, and the California devices are be aimed west. The first LaserSETI observatory is at the Robert Ferguson Observatory in Sonoma, CA. They work by using a transmission grating to split light sources up into spectra, then read the camera out more than a thousand times per second. Each LaserSETI device consists of two identical cameras rotated 90 degrees to one another along the viewing axis. It is building a global network of instruments to monitor the entire night sky. LaserSETI is a unique astronomy program designed to detect potential laser pulses originating from outside the solar system. The staff at the IfA has provided invaluable assistance throughout the setup process especially during times when it was not possible for LaserSETI staff to be onsite due to COVID restrictions and other logistical challenges. While two of the four cameras are not fully functional and will be replaced, observations are now possible and data collection is underway. As a result of challenges involving equipment damaged during shipping, supply chain delays for replacement parts, equipment malfunctions and even a blizzard in Hawai’i, the installation was delayed but is now complete. view moreĭecember 21, 2021, Mountain View, CA and Maui, HI – Last summer the SETI Institute began installing a second LaserSETI Observatory, this time 10,000 feet above sea level at Haleakala Observatory, thanks to the University of Hawai’i’s Institute of Astronomy (IfA). The instruments here look at the same point as the ones at Ferguson (RFO) in Sonoma, CA. Haleakala is also said to be the home of the Māui's grandmother.įor further information about the site, check out the Haleakala Observatory website.Image: LaserSETI Installation at Haleakala. He lasseos the Sun with his sister's hair, and the struggle to hold it results in the different in length of the days. ![]() Haleakalā means "House of the Sun" because the demigod Māui (and who the island is named after) climbs the mountain. ![]() Before construction began at the site, a traditional Hawai'ian blessing was offered by Reverend Kealahou Alika, Pastor of Keawala'i Congregational Church, in order to offer respect and to honor the spiritual significance of the mountain to native Hawai'ians. The mountain is considered to be a unique cultural and historic resource for native Hawai'ians on Maui. The observatory site is near the summit of a dormant volcano, Haleakala. It is home to our 2-meter class Faulkes Telescope North (FTN) and two of our 0.4-meter telescopes. We are also host to the All Sky Automated Survey telescopes located inside the enclosure. FTN shares the mountain top with other telescopes including MAGNUM, MSSC, SOLAR-C and MEES SOLAR observatories. Here the observing conditions are very good as the telescope is above a lot of the Earth's atmosphere. Haleakala is 10,000 feet above sea level. ![]()
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