W. M. Keck Observatory

05/20/2026

Congratulations to Alex Filippenko, UC Berkeley’s expert on supernovae and black holes, on receiving the 2026 Gruber Cosmology Prize. Filippenko shares this honor with fellow Keck observer Stanford E. Woosley of UC Santa Cruz and Ken'ichi Nomoto of the University of Tokyo.

The prize, one of the world’s most prestigious awards honoring research on the origin and fate of the universe, includes a $500,000 award to be shared equally among the three. Together, their trailblazing work connected stellar evolution, explosive nucleosynthesis, the origin of heavy elements, and the chemical evolution of the universe — advances that also helped establish supernovae as essential tools for precision cosmology.

W. M. Keck Observatory has played a leading role in Filippenko’s research over the years, particularly in observations that contributed to the groundbreaking discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.

Ho'omaika'i to Alex, Stan,and Ken'ichi on this monumental achievement!


The Gruber Foundation UC Berkeley Santa Cruz The University of Tokyo / UTokyo

https://keckobservatory.org/2026-gruber-cosmology-prize/

04/17/2026

Astronomers using W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island are revealing new insight into the composition and origins of Uranus’s two outer rings. Using data from the Keck Observatory Archive (KOA), combined with observations taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers constructed the first complete reflectance spectrum (sunlight reflected off the rings) of the μ and ν rings, confirming their colors and uncovering their detailed composition.

These rings are peculiar because they are extremely faint and orbit within the planet’s crowded system of 14 inner moons.

“By decoding the light from these rings, we can trace both their particle size distribution and composition, which sheds light on their origins, offering new insight into how the Uranian system and planets like it formed and evolved,” said Imke de Pater, professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and lead author of the study.

The findings point to two very different origin stories.

The study, led by the University of California, Berkeley, is published today in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets

🔗: https://keckobservatory.org/uranus-two-outer-rings/

🔭: NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA's James Webb Space Telescope NASA's Hubble Space Telescope UC Berkeley UC Observatories

03/20/2026

Astronomers using the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island, have confirmed a long-predicted relationship between planetary mass and rotation.

By measuring the rotation rates of a large sample of directly imaged extrasolar planets and more massive brown dwarf companions, researchers discovered that gas giant planets spin faster than more massive counterparts when accounting for their mass, size and age.

The result confirms a long-standing theoretical prediction and represents the largest survey of spin measurements for directly imaged companions to date.

This artist animation shows how two worlds can form in similar environments but end up with very different spins.

“Spin is a fossil record of how a planet formed,” said Dino Chih-Chun Hsu, lead author and researcher at Northwestern University. “By measuring how quickly these worlds rotate, we can start to piece together the physical processes that shaped them tens to hundreds of millions of years ago,”

The study, led by Northwestern University, is published in The Astronomical Journal.

https://keckobservatory.org/kpic-spin-survey/

02/20/2026

Summer should be a time for keiki to grow, play, and thrive. Reliable access to healthy food makes all the difference! That’s why and are proud to partner with to support Kaukau 4 Keiki, Hawaiʻi’s largest community-based summer meal program for children!

Since launching in 2021, Kaukau 4 Keiki has provided THOUSANDS of free, healthy, locally-sourced meals to ensure children continue to have access to nutritious food when school is out. This six-week program runs this year from June 22 through July 31, 2026!

Registration opens on Monday, February 23 at 6:00 a.m. and will remain open through Sunday, March 1 at 11:59 p.m. Get more details and sign up at vibranthawaii.org/kaukau4keiki

02/17/2026

Late post but written in the stars ✨ Huge shoutout to our stellar crew who did WERK 💪🏼 bringing their heart and cosmic energy over the Valentine’s and Presidents’ Day weekend. Love measured in light years 💙 You guys are truly out of this world! 💫🌌

02/12/2026

Astronomers Find Compelling Evidence of a Star Collapsing Directly Into a Black Hole ⭐️💥🌌

A massive star in the Andromeda galaxy appears to have collapsed directly into a black hole without first exploding as a supernova.

Observations from helped confirm that the star truly faded at all wavelengths, providing rare observational support for a long predicted pathway to black hole formation.

This animation shows a a shell of thick gas and dust in red expelled from the star’s outer layers as its core collapsed. At the center, a heated sphere of gas continues to fall inward toward the newly formed black hole, hidden within the surrounding hot material.

Published in today, the discovery offers one of the clearest views yet of a quiet stellar death and the birth of a black hole.

Link in bio to read more!

02/02/2026

Save the date and join us for a community event under 𝐀 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐲: 𝐊𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐄𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐢ʻ𝐢, co sponsored by the and the

🗓️ Tuesday, February 24 at 6:30 p.m.
📍 W. M. Keck Observatory Headquarters, Jerry Nelson Conference Room
🔭 Free and open to the public
🪑 Seating is limited, so registration is encouraged

This gathering looks ahead to the upcoming total lunar eclipse, often called a Blood Moon, happening on March 2 and 3. Come learn, reflect, and connect through both cultural and astronomical perspectives as we explore what this celestial event means here in Hawaiʻi.

Guiding us through both science and culture are three incredible speakers. Preethi Krishnamoorthy, Staff Astronomer at W. M. Keck Observatory, and Avinash Surendran, Adaptive Optics Scientist at W. M. Keck Observatory, will explore what makes lunar eclipses possible, what to notice as the event unfolds, and how simple tools like a smartphone can help capture the experience. Joining them is Leilehua Yuen, Hawaiʻi Culture and Language Resident at the International Gemini Observatory, who will share ʻike connected to Kaulana Mahina and reflect on how the Moon shapes relationships to time, place, and responsibility in Hawaiʻi. Together, they offer an evening that brings multiple ways of knowing into conversation, sparking curiosity and inviting us to experience the Moon with fresh eyes.

01/27/2026

Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Science Day was a meaningful and memorable day. Held this past Saturday at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, the event marked the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy while honoring the legacy of Hawaiʻi’s first NASA astronaut. It was a wonderful opportunity to share science, connect with colleagues, and inspire curiosity across the community.

Mahalo nui to the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, the Onizuka Memorial Committee, and the Hawaii Science and Technology Museum for organizing and supporting this beloved community event.



🎼 "All the Stars" Song by Kendrick Lamar and SZA

01/21/2026

At the American Astronomical Society winter meeting, we shared discoveries, learned from colleagues, and reflected on our shared responsibility to steward both science and place.

These connections, rooted in curiosity and collaboration, help move astronomy forward.

Mahalo nui loa to our AAS colleagues for another stellar conference! We are looking ahead to AAS 249 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 💫

Read more 👉 https://keckobservatory.org/aas247/

01/15/2026

Hawai‘i residents are invited to voice their opinions and knowledge on how to guide the stewardship of Mauna Kea.

The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA), in partnership with Kua o Wākea, will hold a series of 10 community workshops across the Hawaiian Islands starting today, January 15, in Waiʻanae on O`ahu.

We highly encourage anyone interested in Maunakea's future to participate in the workshops.

Information and resources:
🔗: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/maunakea-authority/
🔗: https://kuaowakea.org/

The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, in partnership with Kua o Wākea, will hold a series of 10 community workshops across the Hawaiian Islands starting Jan. 15.