Project Details

• Client: University of Hawaii: Maui Campus
• Project's link: UHMC

Project Description

The University of Hawaii, Maui Campus built a roll off observatory to be used for teaching students how to be research astronomers. A third party installed the 4 piers in the observatory in such a way that none of the telescopes could be polar aligned. Observatory Systems was brought in by Oceanside Photo and Telescope (OPT) to engineer a solution for achieving polar alignment for all four telescopes. This work eventually turned into a complete installation with custom cables, polar alignment, pointing modeling, periodic error modeling, automation and instruction on the use of all four unique telescope systems. Observatory Systems worked with the staff to develop an observatory with the flexibility to do many types of astronomy; visual, imaging, research, solar, planetary and spectroscopy.