Tag: Hawai’i

Viewing the Transit of Venus on Mauna Kea

Everyone is gearing up for the Transit of Venus. Starting at just after noon on June 5th, Venus will cross the face of the Sun. This will be our last chance to see such an event in our lifetimes, as a result, many skywatchers are making an extra effort to see this transit. This includes a number of folks who are traveling to Hawai’i this June, just to be here for the transit.

Transit of Venus
The June 2004 Transit of Venus, image credit Jan Herold
The Office of Mauna Kea Management and and Mauna Kea Support Services are making an extraordinary effort for the transit. An interesting exercise, protecting the mountain, ensuring everyone is safe, and allowing reasonable access to the summit. This is a challenge under normal circumstances. Throw in the possibility of a much larger crowd and it could be a real problem. Thus, the following extra measures will be in place…

  • The summit access road will be closed to public vehicular traffic at the Visitor Information Station.
  • Access to the summit will be provided via free shuttle service between the Visitor Information Station (VIS) and Mauna Kea summit.
  • Parking at the Visitor Information Station (VIS) is limited. Additional parking will be provided, however If parking spaces fill up, vehicles will be held below the VIS until parking becomes available.
  • Mauna Kea Rangers and Hawaii County Police Officers will be present to assist with parking and public safety.

There will be solar telescopes stationed at the MKVIS, at the summit, and at a number of other locations around the island. With many options to choose from, you do not need to go to the summit to get at least some view of this event.

The diehards, those wanting to see the entire transit, will probably go to Mauna Kea. I really do not know what sort of crowd to expect on the mountain. While it could be substantial, I really expect a more modest showing than some folks are predicting. In any case it will be a fun event.

Myself? I will be on the summit. I will be running the Keck live webcast of the event using one of my telescopes. From a vantage point behind the Keck 1 telescope we should be in position to witness the entire event from start to finish.

Viewing the Transit of Venus on Hawaii

There is only one more chance in our lifetimes to see a Transit of Venus. If you are curious about this event, where do you go to see it?

Transit of Venus
The June 2004 Transit of Venus, image credit Jan Herold
Hawai’i is well placed to see the entire event. The transit starts just after noon, with the sun high in the sky. As the transit ends just before sunset, a clear western horizon will be required to witness final contact. For the true astronomical diehards, the summit of Mauna Kea will be the destination. With a clear view, above the clouds, the entire event will be visible.

For those folks who just want a nice view of the event, and do not necessarily need to watch for the entire seven hours, there are a number of easier options. To accommodate the public, there will be solar telescopes setup and manned by volunteers at a number of locations around the island…

  • Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (MKVIS) A portion of the VIS parking lot will be converted into a viewing station. Telescopes with solar filters will be available. A NASA-sponsored live web cast of the Transit will be displayed inside the VIS and in the presentation room. Parking space at the VIS is limited. If parking fills, vehicles will be held below the VIS until parking becomes available. You may want to consider some of the other sites listed below.
  • ʻImiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii, Hilo ʻImiloa will display the NASA webcast of the Transit. Leading up to the day of Transit, ʻImiloa will also be running a special planetarium show titled “When Venus Transits the Sun.”
  • W. M. Keck Headquarters, Waimea Livestream from the summit at headquarters in Waimea. Headquarters will be open until 6 p.m. Solar telescopes will be available. Free solar cards for viewing the Transit directly will be provided, while supplies last.
  • Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), Waimea Solar telescopes and a sunspotter will be available for the public. A raffle for a copy of “Hokuloa: The 1874 Transit of Venus Expedition to Hawaii” by Michael Chauvin will also be held.
  • Puʻu Koholā Heiau National Historic Site, Kawaihae From Noon till 4:30pm. Special glasses will be available, and a live webcast from the summit of Mauna Kea in the Visitor Center theater. As well, park rangers will give special presentations about the historical significance of this event throughout the day.
  • Natural Energy Lab in Kailua-Kona Mahalo to the Natural Energy Lab for sponsoring this event!
  • Keaʻau In the lot across from the Fire Station, Mahalo to W. H. Shipman Ltd for sponsoring this event!

Postcard from the Reef – Cushion Star Underside

You see these starfish often enough, they are fairly common on the reef. Often taking a closer look at the commonplace will show something worth a photo. In this case a closeup of the underside of the starfish, a truly odd creature…

Cusion Star Reverse
The underside of a cushion star (Culcita novaeguineae)

Postcard from the Reef – Cusk Eel

A secretive species, the cusk eels are seldom seen by divers on Hawaiian reefs. They shelter in caves and crevices during the day, emerging at night to forage. This eel was holed up in a shallow crevice low in a rock wall. I shot one half decent photo before it retreated further into the crevice, out of sight.

Bearded Cusk Eel
Bearded Cusk Eel (Brotula miltibarbata) in a crevice at 24' depth Amphitheater

SB 2104 on Electronic Harrasment

This has been the year for internet legislation in the Hawaii legislature. First there was the terrible HB 2288 that would require complete records of all personal internet activity to be kept for two years. This bill has been deferred, and is hopefully dead, after active opposition in the press, social media and pressure from internet service providers. The measure received nationwide media attention, overwhelmingly negative attention, when it was first proposed.

The current focus of attention is on SB2104, which attempts to address online harassment. The bill defines electronic harassment as follows…

(g) Makes any form of electronic communication, as defined in section 711-1111(2), including electronic mail transmissions, that is directed at a specific person and causes emotional distress to that person and serves no legitimate purpose. SB2104 as of 10Jan2011

Other island bloggers have posted on this measure. Interestingly with opposite takes on the issue. Tiffany has come out in wholehearted support of SB2104, while Damon has come out in opposition, citing free speech issues.

I usually side with free speech, even in the face of offensive speech. I am particularly sensitive to anything that threatens our use of electronic communications, a tool that is increasingly important in our society. It is the net that has facilitated true social opposition and organization to counterbalance the abuse of governmental or corporate economic power. It was the stunningly rapid response on social websites and blogs that halted the SOPA and PIPA legislation in the US Congress. A clear example of the power available to our communities through these new media.

With that in mind I have some real problems with the language on this one. I can all to easily imagine this sort of legislation being used to stifle legitimate comment and opinion. While I applaud the intention, to limit cyberbullying, I am not sure if this can be addressed like this without impinging on freedom of speech.

Counting Whales

It is that time again! Time for Ocean Count 2012… A morning spent spotting and counting whales for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

The sanctuary staff recruits teams to crew sites all around the islands. All together, 61 teams with over 950 volunteers observed whales from Kauai to Hawai’i today. Twenty one teams set up to cover the Big Island from South Point to Opolu Point. The procedure is to observe whales from 8am to noon, recording the behavior in half hour time slots. Every blow, dive, breach or other activity is recorded. The technique is to work in teams of two, one person spotting, binoculars in hand, the other writing as the whale activity is called out.

Counting Whales
Deb Cooper counting whales north of Kawaihae

A bluff overlooking Pelekane Bay has been our site for the last three years. Mile Marker 7 is a perfect place to observe whales. A bluff well above the water. A rocky knoll covered with lawn chairs, coolers, and well over twenty observers peering through binoculars.

This year was much like the last several years. We counted dozens upon dozens of whales from the MM7 site, while other sites around the island are lucky to see a handful. There are some sites that did not see a whale all day. We count as fast as we can write, activity everywhere.

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