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Big Isle scope gets high-powered camera

HILO » A new camera at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope atop Mauna Kea will be able to capture images 3,600 times larger that those taken by the camera on the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers said.

The Wide Field Camera is the result of a five-year effort by scientists and engineers at the U.K. Astronomy Technology Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The 1.7-ton infrared camera, which is more than 18 feet long, had to be lifted into place above the telescope's primary mirror by a specially designed forklift.

"If you do a huge survey, you know everything that is there," said Paul Hirst, an instrument scientist with the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. The camera will allow astronomers to identify regions or stars worthy of a closer look.

The camera's development is "a milestone in astronomy" that will allow scientists to study such things as the distribution of dust across a galaxy, rather than use a combination of traditional images, said Rolf-Peter Kudritzki, director of the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy.

Astronomers estimate it will take seven years to assemble such a big picture.

Temporary fix has Kona water flowing

KAILUA-KONA » Water to all homes north of Kailua-Kona served by the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply was restored yesterday after a large number of them lost water for several days, said department head Milton Pavao.

But the department is doing a delicate balancing act to keep the water flowing, since the cause, two broken pumps, has not yet been fixed, he said.

The problem began about two months ago when a relatively small pump broke, but the effect was not immediately noticeable because there was still plenty of water in county storage tanks. Last week, a second pump broke and some tanks were finally drained dry, Pavao said.

There are 2,200 customers in the area, but there was no way of knowing how many ran out of water, Pavao said.

A permanent solution will not come quickly, because municipal water pumps are unique, and replacement parts have to be individual fabricated, he said.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

LEEWARD OAHU

Stabbing in Waipahu leaves 1 man dead

A 26-year-old man was fatally stabbed yesterday in Waipahu, and the suspect turned himself in to police afterward.

The stabbing occurred 5:20 p.m. at Waipahu Island Landscaping, 96-075 Farrington Highway, police said. The victim was taken to St. Francis West, where he died, an Emergency Medical Services supervisor said.

A 31-year-old man turned himself in at the Kalihi police station, and he was arrested after 7 p.m. on suspicion of second-degree murder, police said.

Picture of 'merry' bank robber released

Robbery suspect: He is described as in his late 30s, 6 foot 1, with brown hair and hazel eyes

Police released a bank surveillance photo of a man they say robbed a Waipahu bank teller and then wished her "Merry Christmas."

The suspect, armed with a black and silver handgun, robbed the Waipahu branch of City Bank, 94-210 Pupukahi St., about 12:45 p.m. Wednesday.

He was last seen running on Pupukahi Street wearing a black-hooded "Raiders" sweatshirt and gray surf shorts with yellow stripes. He is described as in his late 30s, 6 feet 1 inch tall, 190 pounds with brown hair, hazel eyes and clean-shaven.

Anyone with information can call Detective Michael Ogawa at 529-3381 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300, *CRIME on a cell phone.