Milestone-Proposal talk:University of Hawai'i 2.2 meter (88 inch) Observatory

Advocates’ Checklist

1. Is proposal for an achievement rather than for a person?
2. Was proposed achievement a significant advance rather than an incremental improvement to an existing technology?
3. Were there prior or contemporary achievements of a similar nature?
4. Has the achievement truly led to a functioning, useful, or marketable technology?
5. Is proposal adequately supported by significant references (minimum of five) such as patents, contemporary newspaper articles, journal articles, or citations to pages in scholarly books? At least one of the references from a peer-reviewed scholarly book or journal article. The full text of the material, not just the references, shall be present. If the supporting texts are copyright-encumbered and cannot be posted on the ETHW for intellectual property reasons, the proposers shall email a copy to the History Center so that it can be forwarded to the advocate. If the advocate does not consider the supporting references sufficient, the advocate may ask the proposer(s) for additional ones.
6. Are the scholarly references sufficiently recent?
7. Is proposed citation readable and understandable by the general public?
8. Does the proposed plaque site fulfill the requirements?
9. Is the proposal quality comparable to that of IEEE publications?
10. Scientific and technical units correct? (e.g. km, mm, hertz, etc.) Are acronyms correct and properly upperercased or lowercased?
11. Date formats correct as specified in Section 6 of Milestones Program Guidelines? https://ieeemilestones.ethw.org/Helpful_Hints_on_Citations,_Plaque_Locations

Independent Expert Reviewers’ Checklist

1. Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?
2. Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation?
3. Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?
4. Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?

In answering the questions above, the History Committee asks that independent expert reviewers apply a similar level of rigor to that used to peer-review an article, or evaluate a research proposal. Some elaboration is desirable. Of course the Committee would welcome any additional observations that you may have regarding this proposal.

Submission and Approval Log

Submitted date: 23 May 2024
Advocate approval date: 4 August 2024
History Committee approval date: 25 September 2024
Board of Directors approval date: 25 November 2024

Original Citation Title and Text -- Administrator4 (talk) 20:30, 28 May 2024 (UTC)

Mauna Kea Observatory University of Hawai'i 2.2 meter (88 inch) Telescope, 1970

The 2.2 meter (88 inch) telescope was the first advanced research telescope to be built near the summit of Mauna Kea, to take advantage of unequaled observing conditions found at high elevation on Hawaii. The site is above 40% of Earth's atmosphere and nearly 90% of water vapor. Located near the equator, it enables observation of almost of all the sky.

Updates to Citation and Key Sections -- Bberg (talk) 03:08, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Please correct the technical societies field to read "Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (AESS) and Geophysics and Remote Sensors Society (GRSS)"

Please break up the 3 main sections into more easily readable paragraphs.

Please consider this 69-word citation:
Dedicated on June 26, 1970, the University of Hawaii’s 2.2 meter (88 inch) computer-controlled astronomical telescope atop Mauna Kea was the world’s highest at 13,796 feet. Being located near the equator, and above 40% of the Earth's atmosphere and nearly 90% of its water vapor, its location enabled unequaled observing conditions of almost of all the sky, resulting in the most advanced and powerful Earth-based observations of heavenly bodies.

Re: Updates to Citation and Key Sections -- Bberg (talk) 12:19, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

Thanks for making these changes.

You need an "and" between the names of the 2 technical societies.

Within the entire proposal, I note that the only place where you include an apostrophe in "Hawai'i" is in the title. I also note that "Hawaii's" in the citation might read awkwardly as "Hawai'i's" were you to add an apostrophe. However you decide to handle this, it should be consistent throughout the proposal.

I suggest you break up the numerous cited stories in the "What features set this work apart from similar achievements?" section with bullets for better reading, or at least add periods after each cited entry.

Letter to Reviewer Barry C. Tilton, Questions (June 11) -- Sergei Prokhorov (talk) 07:45, 12 June 2024 (UTC)

Dear Barry C. Tilton In your critique of the proposal, the Committee would like you to assess three particular aspects of the proposal: 1) Is the suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate? 2) Is the evidence presented in the proposal sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Citation? 3) Does the proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement? In answering these questions, the History Committee asks that you apply a similar level of rigor to that used to peer-review an article, or evaluate a research proposal. Some elaboration is desirable. Of course, the Committee would welcome any additional observations that you may have regarding this proposal.

Answers by Barry C. Tilton -- Sergei Prokhorov (talk) 07:48, 12 June 2024 (UTC)

The information is factually correct, and the sources are consistent. There is no question that between the early advances in understanding of stellar phenomena and the critical role played in supporting Apollo are deserving of permanent IEEE recognition. Is the suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate? YES Is the evidence presented in the proposal sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Citation? YES Does the proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement? MULTIPLE YES

Answers by Barry C. Tilton -- Sergei Prokhorov (talk) 05:59, 11 July 2024 (UTC)

I will comment on 4 [Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed? - Sergei Prokhorov] and await further requested detail before re-evaluating my response. As to the uniqueness of the nominee, there are only 5-6 other real major milestone locations in astronomical collection since Galileo… Palomar (CA Lowell (AZ) The Maui Scopes Aricebo Hubble (Space Telescope I) Keck (Space Telescope II) A great majority of the astronomical discoveries that define our cosmological understanding happened at these sites. In this context, there is no doubt that the big island site is deserving of IEEE recognition in our program. As a side note, the logistic difficulties in building the site are also (as noted in the submission) some of the more significant in the development of a scientific research location (not quite Antarctica, but very noteworthy).

I can address a few of your thought points which are actually technical in detail.

Light gathering systems are defined by a physical limiting function that has three parameters. (1) wavelength (2) distance to target (3) aperture diameter. The relevant equation defines a direct relation between the diameter and the resolution (clarity) one can achieve with a system. Several smaller telescopes can only add up to one if they are fully coordinated down to the nanometer level, which was impossible in the 70’s and is still exquisitely expensive/difficult even today (this is called phasing). As to the choice of location, being above the clouds is as significant as is described in the dialog, but in addition being above atmosphere in general reduces the impact of the air mass thermal instability on resolving power (how much can be clearly viewed). The air creates a scintillation affect on the image gathered which blurs content. Ultimately, the decision was (I believe correctly) made to endure the difficulties of logistics and cost to achieve what is (pun intended) a stellar result. While I mentioned in my previous note that there are other telescopes/collection systems that merit their own recognition, each is unique, and not in competition for justifiable laud.

Reviewer's Puneet Kumar Mishra letter -- Sergei Prokhorov (talk) 06:19, 11 July 2024 (UTC)

Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate? Yes. However it can be made more readable as per following 60 words suggested text: "2.2 meter computer controlled astronomical telescope located at 13796 Feet height of Mauna Kea Peak was the world's highest. Its location which was above 40% of earth's atmosphere, ~90% of of its water vapor and also near the equator enabled observing conditions of almost all of the sky resulting in the most advanced and powerful Earth-based observations of heavenly bodies."

Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation? Yes

Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement? Yes

Were there similar or competing achievements? Yes If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed? No. It will be good to include: The Kodaikanal Observatory details which is older than Hawaii's and how this is different https://www.iiap.res.in/centers/kso/

Advocate's conclusion -- Sergei Prokhorov (talk) 16:25, 4 August 2024 (UTC)

Report on Milestone-Proposal #2019-09: University of Hawai'i 2.2-meter (88-inch) Observatory.

The proposal contains a very detailed and well-reasoned justification for why project "University of Hawai'i 2.2-meter (88-inch) Observatory" is worthy of being included in the IEEE Milestones.

Opened on June 26, 1970, the 88-inch Computerized Astronomy Telescope of the University of Hawaii was housed at the Mauna Kea Astronomical Observatory. It is the world's highest observatory. Situated at an altitude of 13,796 feet (4,205 meters), it is undoubtedly the best place in the world for ground-based astronomy. It is above 40% of the Earth's atmosphere and nearly 90% of the atmospheric water vapor, which absorbs infrared wavelengths that are essential for characterizing planetary surfaces. Situated near the equator, it allows observation of almost the entire sky. When completed, the observatory became the world's first computer-controlled telescope (an IBM 1800). Here are a few significant accomplishments made possible by the University of Hawaii Observatory.

1) In 1970, it was the world's tallest observatory with a computer-controlled astronomical telescope.2) The Apollo missions used observational data to help them choose landing sites on the Moon in the 1970s. 3) The telescope was used to study and discover dozens of Pluto-like objects in the 1980s. 4) In 1992, research findings led to the discovery of the Kuiper Belt and distant objects beyond Neptune, resulting in Pluto's downgrade from a planet. 5) The telescope has played a significant role in the development of new astronomical instruments and telescopes that have become industry standards worldwide. 6) Andrea Ghez of the University of California, Los Angeles received the 2020 Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking discovery of a supermassive black hole (Sagittarius A) at the center of our galaxy. The Mauna Kea Observatory's observations served as the basis for this discovery.

Puneet Kumar Mishra, Member, Board of Governors, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (AESS), in his review, fully supported the proposal to include the "University of Hawai'i 2.2-meter (88-inch) Observatory" in the Milestones List. He proposed a new wording of the quote to make it more readable: "2.2-meter computer controlled astronomical telescope located at 13796 Feet height of Mauna Kea Peak was the world's highest. Its location which was above 40% of earth's atmosphere, ~90% of its water vapor and also near the equator enabled observing conditions of almost all of the sky resulting in the most advanced and powerful Earth-based observations of heavenly bodies." (The current text of the quote is "Dedicated on June 26, 1970, the University of Hawaii's 2.2 meter (88 inch) computer-controlled astronomical telescope located at 13,796 feet on Mauna Kea's peak was the world's highest. It location near the equator, and above 40% of Earth's atmosphere and nearly 90% of its water vapor, enabled observing conditions of almost all of the sky. This resulted in the most advanced and powerful Earth-based observations of heavenly bodies.")

Barry C. Tilton, P.E., PMP, Member, Board of Governors, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (AESS), Past-Director of IEEE Region 2 also supported the proposal to introduce the "University of Hawai'i 2.2-meter (88-inch) Observatory" in the Milestones List. He noted that “there are only 5-6 other real major milestone locations in astronomical collection since Galileo... Palomar (CA Lowell (AZ) The Maui Scopes Aricebo Hubble (Space Telescope I) Keck (Space Telescope II) A great majority of the astronomical discoveries that define our cosmological understanding happened at these sites. In this context, there is no doubt that the big island site is deserving of IEEE recognition in our program." He also noted the logistical challenges that had to be overcome in setting up the observatory. Although not directly related to the scientific achievements, they are important in assessing the enormity of the project. "It should be noted that the logistic difficulties in building this site in Hawaii were some of the most significant ever for the development of a scientific research location. These difficulties are greater only in Antarctica. Ultimately, the decision to build at the site was vindicated by the degree of collection success."

The proposal includes references to publications in eight journals. The University of Hawaii (UH) News article 6-26-2020: “Maunakea’s First Large Telescope Celebrates 50 Years of Science” provides more details on the achievements in space exploration. The article specifically highlighted the points listed below. "UH-88 was used to make important discoveries and develop tools that astronomers use at telescopes around the world and in space. i. Mark Rognstad Input: 1. In the 1970s, the UH-88 was used in support of the Apollo missions tracking the Moon landings sites. 2. In the 1980s, the UH-88 was used for robotic missions tracking deep space probes. ii. Starting in the 1980s the UH-88 was used to search for Pluto-like objects and found dozens. In 1992, discovered the Kuiper Belt, distant objects beyond Neptune. This led astronomers to realize Pluto was one of these large objects in the Kuiper Belt, which resulted in the demotion of Pluto from a planet. iii. New tools like “HAWAII” series of infrared imaging detectors (HgCdTe Astronomical Wide Area Imager). HAWAII arrays are now industry standard on many telescopes around the world. iv. In 2008, UH-88 was the first telescope on Mauna Kea to switch to fully automate remote observing."

Based on the above, I conclude that the University of Hawai'i 2.2-meter (88-inch) Observatory was a significant step forward, resulting in a functioning, useful, or promising technology. This is supported by both the opinions of the reviewers and the references to scientific publications and other materials submitted by the submitters. The proposed citation is readable and understandable. However, in my opinion, the following quotation text would be more readable, which I propose to consider when approving the Committee's decision: "The University of Hawaii's 2.2-meter (88-inch) computer-controlled astronomical telescope atop Mauna Kea's peak was the world's highest, dedicated on June 26, 1970. Location near the equator, above 40% of Earth's atmosphere and 90% of water vapor allowed observation of almost the whole sky. This enabled the most advanced and powerful Earth-based astronomical observations."

Conclusion. I support the inclusion of the University of Hawai'i 2.2-meter (88-inch) Observatory project in the IEEE Milestones list because it meets all the criteria for an IEEE Milestone proposal and is a big step in the global history of astronomy and space exploration.

Sergei Prokhorov Proposal advocate, IEEE senior member, IEEE History Committee member, IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Contributor, chair of IEEE Russian Section Computer Society chapter

Quote text suggestion -- Sergei Prokhorov (talk) 16:31, 4 August 2024 (UTC)

In my opinion, the following text of the quotation would be more readable, which I propose to take into account when approving the Committee's decision: The University of Hawaii's 2.2-meter (88-inch) computer-controlled astronomical telescope atop Mauna Kea's peak was the world's highest, dedicated on June 26, 1970. Location near the equator, above 40% of Earth's atmosphere and 90% of water vapor allowed observation of almost the whole sky. This enabled the most advanced and powerful Earth-based astronomical observations.Italic text

Re: Quote text suggestion -- Bberg (talk) 16:54, 21 August 2024 (UTC)

The citation currently on the main page looks great, as does the supporting information. I give this my approval.

Brian Berg, IEEE Milestones Subcommittee Chair