Community

Education

The process of science is not complete until its discoveries are shared with others.

Each year, the W. M. Keck Observatory participates in and sponsors dozens of educational events for Hawaiʻi Island families, educators, students, and hobbyists, as well as visitors to the Big Island, to foster a greater appreciation of science and its influence in society.

Through field trips to our headquarters, stargazing programs and classroom visits, Keck Observatory’s education team provides an engaging and inspiring set of activities and technical expertise to more than 1,000 K-12 students each year.

  • Journey Through the Universe (JTTU): Keck Observatory is an active participant in JTTU, the Maunakea Observatories flagship education and outreach program for students in Pre-K to 12th grade on Hawaiʻi Island. In 2017, its 13th year, more than 70 observatory professionals and astronomy educators visited over 8,800 students in 300 classrooms, and held a workshop for 40 teachers with follow-up visits to the summit.
  • Triple Whammy: Keck Observatory opens the doors of its Waimea headquarters to Hawaiʻi Island schools four times a year. 5th grade students experience a “triple whammy” of fun, science-rich activities. The three interactive stations vary from solar viewing, star tracking, an infrared camera demonstration, a mirror segment activity, and more.

For the broader public, Keck Observatory’s monthly Astronomy Talk Series and Open House events encourage the public to learn in depth about the research done using Keck Observatory’s 10-meter telescopes on Maunakea.

Keck Observatory is also building a virtual on-line and international community called Keck Nation. Powered with world-class content, more than 12,000 members are the first to receive news from the frontier science and innovation of the Keck Observatory.

To learn more about Keck Observatory’s programs, contact us to let us celebrate the power of learning with you.

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