In 1970, the University of Hawaiʻi’s 2.2-meter telescope was dedicated at the summit of 13,803-foot Maunakea, becoming the world’s highest and first computer-controlled telescope.
The innovations developed or tested by the UH88, its nickname because 2.2 meters is 88 inches, have shaped astronomy worldwide. They include breakthrough digital imaging, adaptive optics, and the HAWAII near-infrared detectors used on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
On Thursday, UH88 was recognized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers as an IEEE Milestone. It is a recognition of technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity…