‘Astronomy in Antarctica’: Professor visiting UH-Hilo ‘Imiloa center to share experience at South Pole

Antarctica is the coldest, driest, windiest continent on Earth. While inhospitable for humans and most animals, it is an excellent site for astronomy.

Under its Maunakea Skies program, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center welcomes professor Walter Gear for an extraordinary presentation titled “Astronomy in Antarctica” at 7 p.m. June 19 at 600 ‘Imiloa Place in Hilo.

Gear will review the geography and properties of Antarctica, describe his own experiences in reaching and spending time at the South Pole, and explain some of the world-leading astronomical results that have been obtained there.

Gear is a professor at Cardiff University in Wales, and is spending time at the East Asian Observatory in Hilo, which has taken over operations of the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope from the United Kingdom.

Gear has been coming to Hawaii Island for more than 30 years to make use of the outstanding skies over Mauna Kea. His research largely is concerned with astronomical instrumentation, the cosmic microwave background and star-formation in galaxies.

Maunakea Skies will be hosted by ‘Imiloa planetarium staff member Emily Peavy, who will provide observational highlights of the night sky over Hawaii, pointing out prominent constellations and stars one can see during this time of year.

The monthly Maunakea Skies planetarium presentations are the third Friday of each month. Cost is $8 for individual, dual, kupuna and family members; $6 for patron members; free for silver, gold and corporate members. Nonmember rate is $10. Pre-purchase tickets at the ‘Imiloa front desk or by phone at 969-9703.

For more information, visit www.imiloahawaii.org.