COURTESY ANTONY SCHINCKEL
The new Mauna Kea observatory is the first in the world to study radiation in submillimeter wavelengths, offering a glimpse at areas where stars and planets might be forming.
Unique telescope
will seek new starsThe dish antenna array
on Mauna Kea focuses on
radiation from cold regions
The first observatory of its kind will be dedicated on Mauna Kea Saturday to begin exploring "cold, dusty regions" of the universe where scientists say stars and planets may be forming.
The Smithsonian Submillimeter Array consists of eight 20-foot-diameter dish antennas working as a single telescope in a valley near the summit of the Big Island mountain. The array will study submillimeter waves, a form of radiation that is less energetic than infrared light but more so than microwaves found in home ovens.
It is the first imaging telescope in the world to look at the universe at submillimeter wavelengths of light coming from the coldest objects in the universe.
"At this early stage, we're seeing interesting and exciting things, but literally we just started seeing how the instrument works," said Antony Schinckel, the observatory's director of operations. "The next three to five years will be very exciting as we really look and see what the universe is going to bring us in this wave band."
The first scientific paper on observations with the array was published in the March 20 issue of the Astrophysical Journal Letters, reporting on a flaring emission from the radio source surrounding the black hole in the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
Over the next year, the submillimeter array will be linked to other telescopes on Mauna Kea: the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope.
Officials from the three observatories hope to start observations together in 2005, which Schinckel said "increases sensitivity by approximately a factor of two and allows us to see even finer detail so we can see smaller objects."
The Smithsonian antennas, functioning as a giant telescope, can achieve views of the cosmos equal to the huge Keck Telescope in resolution, as detailed as a single telescope 1,600 feet in diameter.
"One of the things submillimeter is so unique for is being able to look into very cold, dusty regions where we think stars and maybe planets are forming," Schinckel said.
"We hope to see them forming in early phases and understand the chemistry of planets forming and transitions the chemicals go through under enormous forces as the universe is formed."
But since the telescope is "completely new and unique," it might lead the astronomers into unexpected science, he added.
Six antennas were funded by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., and two others were funded by the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Taiwan, a 15 percent partner in the development.
Schinckel said the astronomers are planning on a lot of remote operations from Hilo, Cambridge and Taiwan. About 38 people are based in Hilo with the array.
Among planned studies, the astronomers will look at stars in early formation and disks of matter surrounding the stars.
A better understanding of how planets are built may help them learn whether other planets exist in the galaxy with life like Earth, they said.
They also will study ancient galaxies, formed after the big bang, from which light has been traveling toward Earth for billions of years.
The dedication ceremonies will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with a number of guests and dignitaries participating.
A reception and dinner will be held at the University of Hawaii-Hilo Campus Center.
