Recent Press Releases

VIDEO Astronomy Talk: Dr. Ian McLean (May 22, 2013)

June 17, 2013

On April 4, 2012 a new instrument obtained “first light” on the Keck I Telescope at the W. M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea. Known as MOSFIRE, for Multi-Object Spectrometer For Infra-Red Exploration, it is the most advanced capability available today to study star formation, galaxy formation...

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UCI Scientists Size Up Universe’s Most Lightweight Dwarf Galaxy with Keck Observatory

June 7, 2013

Kamuela, Hawaii—The least massive galaxy in the known universe has been measured by UC Irvine scientists, clocking in at just 1,000 or so stars with a bit of dark matter holding them together. The findings, made with the W. M. Keck Observatory and published today in The Astrophysical Journal,...

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International Team on Keck Observatory Strengthens Big Bang Theory

June 5, 2013

Kamuela, Hawaii – An international team of scientists using the most powerful telescope on Earth has discovered the moments just after the Big Bang happened more like the theory predicts, eliminating a significant discrepancy that troubled physicists for two decades. The discovery will be...

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Mega-galaxy is Missing Link in History of Cosmos

May 21, 2013

Kamuela, Hawaii – Two hungry young galaxies that collided 11 billion years ago are rapidly forming a massive galaxy about 10 times the size of the Milky Way, according to UC Irvine-led research conducted on the W. M. Keck Observatory and other research facilities around the world. The results...

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Astronomers Using Keck Observatory Discover Rain Falling from Saturn’s rings

April 9, 2013

Kamuela, HI—NASA funded observations on the W. M. Keck Observatory with analysis led by the University of Leicester, England tracked the “rain” of charged water particles into the atmosphere of Saturn and found the extent of the ring-rain is far greater, and falls across larger areas of the planet,...

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NASA and Caltech Astronomers Find Potential Energy Supply For Life on Europa

April 4, 2013

KAMUELA, HI – Observations of Europa from the W. M. Keck Observatory help NASA and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) astronomers go one step further in demonstrating life may be possible in the ocean of one of Jupiter’s moons. In addition to the known existence of water, a paper...

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Astronomers Detect Water in Atmosphere of Distant Planet

March 14, 2013

KAMUELA, HI – A team of international scientists using the W. M. Keck Observatory has made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-size planet beyond our Solar System. According to lead author Quinn Konopacky, an astronomer with the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy &...

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Astronomers Open Window Into Europa’s Ocean

March 5, 2013

KAMUELA, Hawaii—With data collected from the mighty W. M. Keck Observatory, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) astronomer Mike Brown — known as the Pluto killer for discovering a Kuiper-belt object that led to the demotion of Pluto from planetary status — and Kevin Hand from the Jet...

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Keck Observatory Completes $4 Million Adaptive Optics Fund

March 5, 2013

Kamuela, Hawaii – The W. M. Keck Observatory has successfully completed a $4 million campaign that will give astronomers the most detailed Adaptive Optics images of the cosmos ever created by mankind. Furthermore, the campaign was funded entirely by private philanthropy. The Gordon and Betty...

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VIDEO Astronomy Talk: Black Holes and the Fate of the Universe

January 10, 2013

This is a recoding of a Keck Observatory Astronomy Talk given by Dr. Günther Hasinger, Astronomer and Director of the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy. His talk, ‘Black Holes ad the Fate of the Universe’, was given on November 20, 2012 at the Gates Performing Arts Center at Hawaii...

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