W. M. Keck Observatory, Astronomical observatory near the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii, United States
The W. M. Keck Observatory is an astronomical facility in Hawaii, United States, with two telescopes each featuring a ten-meter-wide primary mirror. Both structures sit at an elevation of 4,145 meters (13,600 feet) near the summit of Mauna Kea and house different scientific instruments for observing the night sky.
The Howard B. Keck Foundation donated 70 million dollars in 1985 for construction of the first telescope, which received first light in 1990. A second telescope was added a few years later, expanding the research capabilities of the facility.
Scientists from around the world apply regularly for observing time on the two telescopes, with research contributing to mapping distant galaxies and studying exoplanets. The facility works closely with other observatories on the mountain and shares data from nightly observation runs.
The location at extreme altitude means thin air and cold temperatures, so visitors should dress warmly and watch for possible symptoms of altitude sickness. Access to the summit area requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle and the road may close depending on weather conditions.
The 36 hexagonal segments of each mirror, 1.8 meters wide and 7.5 centimeters thick, are made of Zerodur glass-ceramic by Schott AG in Germany and coated with a thin aluminium layer. Computers adjust each half-ton segment's position relative to its neighbours twice per second, holding the surface to an accuracy of four nanometres.
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