W. M. Keck Observatory

Just WOW. An intense fireball captured by Subaru Telescope Naoj’s Live Cam above our telescope domes ?? Maunakea’s views never cease to amaze - so humbled by the awe and wonder of this special place ? Watch full video ?? https://lnkd.in/gt8sUaNh

Phenomenon Friday ?? I look like a giant fireball and am made of hot gas - mostly hydrogen. I shine bright in the night sky due to the immense pressure in my core, which causes my hydrogen to fuse into helium for most of my life. This process, called nuclear fusion, generates huge amounts of energy and makes me shine. Like everything in nature, I go through a lifecycle: birth, life, and death. I can range in size from that of a small city to more than 1,700 times the radius of the Sun. What am I? A star. Here’s me eating a planet ?? https://lnkd.in/gdaBc9Eu ???Artist’s animation of an exoplanet meeting its demise as it spiraled into its parent star. Called ZTF SLRN-2020, the star inflated to 4x its size and brightened by a factor of more than 100. Animation credit: R. Hurt/K. Miller (Caltech/IPAC) #phenomenonfriday?#keckobservatory?#maunakeaobservatories?#hawaiiastronomy

We're #hiring! Do you have a knack for bringing diverse talents from different engineering and operations disciplines together to operate and improve complex systems? Do you embody the values of service and stewardship in the teams your lead? We are recruiting for a Chief Engineer who will oversee summit operations and multiple engineering disciplines, focusing efforts on what is most mission-critical, now and into the future.?Does this sound like you or someone you know? https://lnkd.in/g9JQDaWi

Who am I? The answer to yesterday's #triviatuesday is: Kalupeakawelo Kalupeakawelo, meaning “The Kite of Kawelo,” is one of four star families Hawaiian wayfinders use to read the night sky when voyaging. The body of the kite consists of the Great Square - an asterism within the constellation Pegasus - with each corner representing four Hawaiian chiefs: Keawe of Hawai?i Island, Pi?ilani of Maui, Kākuhihewa of O?ahu, and Manokalanipo of Kaua?i. The “kite” is tied to lines that extend from each corner of the Great Square, anchored by two stars in the north: 1) ?Iwakeli?i (Cassiopeia constellation) and 2) Kamō?ī (Cepheus the King constellation) plus five stars in the south: 1) Pi?ikea (Diphda star); 2) Kaikilani (Ankaa star); 3) Kalanikauleleaiwi (Achernar star); 4) Kūkaniloko (Fomalhaut star); and 5) Nālani (Alnair star). Kalupeakawelo is best visible during Fall and Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. To check it out, look east just after dark. ?? The Great Square is depicted here in yellow. The stars that anchor the lines tied to the “kite” are not depicted - they extend beyond the photo, the green lines and arrows point in the direction of the anchors. Credit: Allthesky.com

Trivia: Who am I? ?? Can you name this celestial object?? ??? Share your best guess in the comments below ?? Clue: I ‘fly’ high in the night sky proudly representing four Hawaiian chiefs. I am best seen in the Northern Hemisphere during Fall and Winter. ? Stay tuned as we reveal the answer tomorrow ?? Allthesky.com #triviatuesday #hawaiiastronomy

Astronomers have mapped, for the first time in 3D, the location and movement of filaments in the Pa 30 nebula—the aftermath of a supernova first recorded by Japanese and Chinese astronomers in 1181 and rediscovered in 2013 by amateur astronomer Dana Patchick. This cinematic artist rendering - inspired by the brilliant minds of our scientific community and the @Caltech-built Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI) - reveals the intricate, dandelion-like tendrils left behind from this ancient stellar explosion. ?? ??

Our staff are stellar! Check out this spooktacular image of our nighttime sky captured by Optical Technician Lauren Simmons. ??

We are #hiring! Embrace stewardship and service as you lead HR operations as our next Senior HR Business Partner at W. M. Keck Observatory. The Senior HR Business Partner plays a critical role in managing the day-to-day operations of the Human Resources department, ensuring smooth execution of HR processes while providing direct support to the Human Resources Manager. This position oversees key HR functions, including employee relations, compensation, benefits, and workforce planning, while ensuring departmental operational efficiency. Most importantly, you'll work with stellar human beings who are working tirelessly to advance the frontiers of astronomy and are over the moon excited to share our discoveries with the world. ?? ??? ?

Who am I? The answer to yesterday's #triviatuesday is: ‘Olekūkahi, ‘Olekūlua, and ‘Olepau/Third Quarter Moon ‘Olekūkahi, ‘Olekūlua, and ‘Olepau are the moon phases that make up the “emi” period of the Hawaiian Lunar Calendar. “Emi” means “diminishing” and “‘ole” means “without” or “nothing” in the Hawaiian language. These three nights of ‘ole correspond with the Third Quarter Moon in the Gregorian calendar, when the Moon’s face appears half-lit as viewed from Earth. Native Hawaiians see this time as unproductive days for fishing and planting. Tonight when you look at the moon, it is ‘Olekūkahi; tomorrow is ‘Olekūlua and Friday is ‘Olepau.? ?? NASA Goddard Space Flight Center #triviatuesday #hawaiiastronomy

Trivia: Who am I? ?? Can you name this celestial object?? ??? Share your best guess in the comments below ?? Clue: When you see half of my face shining in the sky as it does tonight, ancient Hawaiians knew it’d be unproductive to hook, lure, spear, trap, or throw net. ? Stay tuned as we reveal the answer tomorrow ?? NASA Goddard Space Flight Center #triviatuesday #hawaiiastronomy