HILO >> The oldest observatory on the Big Island’s Mauna Kea is set to get a makeover in 2016 that will allow the nearly 46-year-old facility to operate largely on its own.

Guenther Hasinger, director of University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, said the university plans to begin a $6 million renovation of its 2.2-meter telescope. He said the finished product, a “modern robotic telescope,” will be able to open and close its dome automatically and make pre-programmed scans of the night sky, The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.

The project will be supported by $2.5 million in state funds and $500,000 in contribution, according to Hasinger.

The funding from the state Legislature also included $450,000 for UH-Hilo to replace its broken Hoku Kea teaching telescope. The telescope was one of three selected for early decommissioning.

Gov. David Ige had called for a quarter of telescopes on the summit to be removed to make way for the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope.

The other two telescopes earmarked for decommissioning are the UKIRT, formerly known as the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, and the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, which stopped operations in 2014.

Hasinger said the UKIRT is the second most scientifically productive telescope in the world, behind the Keck telescopes.

“That one is hurting us the most,” Hasinger said, regarding its removal.

Hasinger said the UKIRT could operate for up to eight more years prior to the TMT’s completion, assuming the $1.4 billion observatory regains its land use permit. The state Supreme Court invalidated the project’s permit to build on the volcano Dec. 2. The court sent the matter back to the 3rd District Court, but telescope officials have not yet indicated whether they will pursue a new hearing.