#UH Astronomer

An observatory on Maunakea played a pivotal role in a groundbreaking study that sheds light on the birth and evolution of planetary systems. Using the Submillimeter Array (SMA), an astronomer from the University of Hawaiʻi helped capture crystal-clear images of exocomet belts—regions around stars where icy and rocky objects called exocomets are found.

As the planet awaits the celestial spectacle of the total solar eclipse on April 8, award-winning astronomer Shadia Habbal from the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy (IfA) is gearing up to lead a world-class team of researchers at three North America locations to conduct in-depth observations during this rare event.