彗星は原始太陽系星雲を構成していた微惑星の生き残りだと考えられており、彗星を観測することで過去の原始太陽系円盤の環境と太陽系形成の過程を知ることができます。しかし残念ながら観測日に雲が出てしまい、データを取ることはできませんでした。
最終日にはヒロ市内にあるすばるオフィスの見学と、ハワイ火山国立公園の観光を行いました。
On 2nd August, Ms.Okamura and I went to the Subaru Telescope of National Astronomical Observatory of Japan at the Mauna Kea in Hawaii island to observe comets. This observation was led by Dr.Takafumi Otsubo(JAXA/ISAS) and Mr.Yoshiharu Shin'naka(Kyoto Sangyo Univ.) also joined in.
Comets are believed to be remnants of planetesimals and frozen reservoirs of the early solar nebula and observation of the properties of comets provides us insight into both the early solar nebula environment and the formation process of planetary system. However cloudy weather prevented us from observing any celestial bodies.
The last day we visited the Hilo Base Facility and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Hale Pohaku
Dinner at Hale Pohaku
Subaru Telescope
Observation room of Subaru
観測後に泊まったホテル
The hotel we stayed at after the observation
Smoking Kilauea volcano