Mauna Kea, Hawai'i

The Northern Gemini Telescope

Map of Mauna Kea

The northern Gemini Telescope is the culmination of a project conceived about twenty years ago in the US and UK and known initially as the National New Technology Telescope (US) and the Large Telescope Project (UK). The Gemini North Telescope is located at the summit of Mauna Kea, within the summit area of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, situated between the UH 88-inch Telescope and the Canada-France-Hawai'i 3.6m Telescope (CFHT), at a height of 4200m.

The summit of Mauna Kea has proven to be an outstanding location from which to make astronomical observations, both at optical and infrared wavelengths. Supported by the University of Hawai'i, this site is home to the world's most powerful collection of optical/infrared and sub-millimeter telescopes.

The Site Plan on Mauna Kea

The Gemini North Telescope is on the summit ridge of Mauna Kea and is located on approximately 2 acres that is subleased from the UH Institute for Astronomy. The area is defined on the north by the sublease line for the CFHT facility and on the south by the edge of an existing concrete slab next to the UH88 telescope. The site straddles a ridge that slopes away on the east and west at approximately 40 percent grades.

The site is completely developed, with Hawaiian Telephone, Hawai'i Electric Light Company, and Mauna Kea Observatories Communications Network utility lines crossing the site. A parking and unloading area is located to the north of the enclosure as well as to the south of the support building.


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Ruth A. Kneale / web@gemini.edu / November 12, 1998