Skywatch: Night sky provides stellar laboratories

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i on January 27, 2019
• Updated on January 28, 2019 at 6:12 pm

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on January 27, 2019
• Updated on January 28, 2019 at 6:12 pm

Seeing the first of the four star families is a reminder that a new year has begun. Read More

Skywatch: Earth will be at closest point to sun in January

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i on January 7, 2019
• Updated on January 7, 2019 at 5:12 pm

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on January 7, 2019
• Updated on January 7, 2019 at 5:12 pm

Once again we return to the first of our four star families, Kekaomakali‘i, the Bailer of Makali‘i, as it makes its nightly east-to-west progression across the horizon. Read More

Skywatch: Geminid meteor shower to dazzle December skies

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on November 25, 2018

The annual Geminid meteor shower runs through the first two weeks of December and peaks around 2 a.m. Dec. 14. Read More

Skywatch: Stars’ ascent signals arrival of makahiki

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on October 28, 2018

The arrival of the constellation Makali‘i after sunset on the eastern horizon heralds the beginning of the Read More

Orionid meteor shower to light up night skies

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i on September 30, 2018
• Updated on September 29, 2018 at 10:22 pm

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on September 30, 2018
• Updated on September 29, 2018 at 10:22 pm

The twin stars in the bucket of the Little Dipper, Holopuni (Kochab) and Hokumau (Pherkad) are good clues for determining latitude in the southern hemisphere. Read More

September skies offer views of Saturn, Mars

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on August 26, 2018

The four star families are modern Hawaiian inventions that have been used consistently by the voyaging community for 25 years. Read More

Perseid meteor shower to reach peak in August

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‛i Posted on July 29, 2018

The circular star compass is divided into four quadrants. Read More

All 5 visible planets can be seen at the same time in mid-July

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on June 24, 2018

Manaiakalani, the Chief’s Fishline, is the third of our four star families and is prominent in the sky during July, August and September. Read More

Jupiter, Venus to shine brightly in June sky

By Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai’i Posted on May 27, 2018

As spring turns to summer, the months of May and June have provided Polynesian mariners the best season for making a Tahiti-to-Hawaii Pacific passage. Read More

Hokule‘a visits Big Island as planets shine brightly

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii Posted on April 29, 2018 • Updated on April 29, 2018 at 2:04 pm

Spring provides the mariner with excellent conditions for tropical passages between the northern and southern hemispheres. Read More

Skywatch: Spring brings new starline

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai“i Posted on March 25, 2018

On March 20 the sun crossed north over the equator in an event called the equinox, a juncture when daylight and nighttime are about equal in length, heralding the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The Hawaiian word associated with this season is Kupulau (Sprouting Leaf). Read More

Using the stars to make landfall

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii Posted on February 25, 2018

This month we focus on the third and final skill set essential for celestial navigation. After orienting the canoe and determining the canoe’s position at sea, the final challenge becomes making landfall. Read More

Navigating by stars and nature’s clues

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii Posted on January 28, 2018 • Updated on January 27, 2018 at 10:46 pm

To navigate the seas using only the stars and other clues from nature, one needs to learn three essential functions: orienting the canoe, determining the canoe’s position at sea and making landfall. Read More

Hawaiian navigation, space exploration led the way in 2017

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii Posted on December 31, 2017 • Updated on December 30, 2017 at 10:39 pm

From the completion of the epic voyage of the Hokule‘a to the naming of an asteroid detected from Hawaii, and the latest findings of gravitational waves in space, 2017 has been an exciting year for astronomical explorations on Earth and in space. Read More

Meteor shower coupled with supermoon to light December night sky

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on November 26, 2017 • Updated on November 25, 2017 at 9:23 pm

Mastering any skill takes passion and a commitment of time. Once achieved, a skill can last a lifetime of practice, but it is accessible only to the master unless it is passed on to others. Read More

Using the star compass in oceanic wayfinding

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on October 29, 2017 • Updated on October 28, 2017 at 7:58 pm

The beauty of the Star Compass is its natural symmetry and reflective quality, allowing the navigator to use nature’s clues to determine direction. Read More

Sun and stars’ daily trek form Hawaiian compass

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i on September 24, 2017
• Updated on September 23, 2017 at 11:09 pm

By Chad Kalepa Baybayan and Emily Peavy, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Posted on September 24, 2017
• Updated on September 23, 2017 at 11:09 pm

The recent completion of the three-year Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage by the voyaging canoe Hokule‘a underscores the timeless relevance of this indigenous system of celestial navigation. Read More

Eager star-gazers abound in islands

By Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum on August 27, 2017

By Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum Posted on August 27, 2017

Aloha everybody! This will be my final Skywatch article. I am delighted, and a little wistful, to announce that I have accepted a position at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, N.J., across from lower Manhattan. Read More

Isles will get partial view of Aug. 21 solar eclipse

By Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum on July 30, 2017
• Updated on July 29, 2017 at 11:02 pm

By Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum Posted on July 30, 2017
• Updated on July 29, 2017 at 11:02 pm

For the United States, the biggest astronomy story for 2017 is the total eclipse of the sun that occurs over much of the continental U.S. on Aug. 21. Read More

‘Cruel sun’ at noon comes back in July

By Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum on June 25, 2017

By Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum Posted on June 25, 2017

While we lose the Southern Cross from the Hawaiian Islands by the time July starts, the month does provide a last chance to catch the brilliant stars Alpha and Beta Centauri, the best summertime stars we see in Hawaii and which are not visible from most of the United States. Read More

Jupiter and Saturn take prime spots in June sky

By Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum on May 28, 2017

By Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum Posted on May 28, 2017

This June provides a great chance to see the solar system’s biggest planets, Jupiter and Saturn, throughout most of the evening. Read More

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