What is it? Where is it?

[TomK]

Yes, I think you are correct, and think it was a Wikiwiki at the time! I downloaded the photo from my old blog, which also explains why I took it—a good friend of mine in Texas was winding me up about living in Texas versus Hawaii or the West Coast.

https://apacificview.blogspot.com/2008/11/finally.html

[TomK]

Nothing new so far, so here's one that is very unfair. 



It was practice for putting one thing on top of another thing.

https://youtu.be/LFrdqQZ8FFc?si=4_YrTTX_bXoFSq3T

[MyManao]

TomK: Sure, I'll recuse myself..

Ok, this one I suspect will be a little more difficult, a different kind of search, than the Hiilawe image. Though I thought that one would be a quick find, so my hunches are not batting too well. We’ll see. And, of course, if I’m getting too far off the beaten path we can scrap it and move on.

Let's call it.. Name this scope..



This is a pic of one of the telescopes up on the mountain with a friend (an engineer) in the foreground for scale. When this was taken he was up there installing one of the very early iterations of adaptive optics that he invented to cancel out the vibrations added to the light of stars as they pass through our atmosphere. Back then adaptive optics were poised to revolutionize Earth based viewing in that no matter how big a scope was, how finely tuned its lenses, that twinkle twinkle little star stuff was a major hurdle that kept astronomers from viewing things in greater detail, and being able to cancel it out the holy grail of moving the science forward, at the time.

As a side note, but added as a clue, the first light of the instrument he was attaching to the scope was of a volcanic eruption on Jupiter's moon Io. It wasn’t their intent to capture but when they first focused on an object it was Io that was in their field of view so besides proving the technology they had a really pretty picture to announce its success with.

Another clue would lean on the evolution of really big telescopes. A quick search of their history reveals differences that will eliminate some and focus on others..

Good luck.

[Obie]

"My family, who first moved into Waipio in the ‘70s'

I knew that and was just posting my personal situation.
I don't know anyone down there so I feel I don't belong down there.

[HiloJulie]

I will recuse myself for now as well, since I paid attention during the several Telescope Tours my family and I have taken over the years, but come on now PunaWeb community - I'm shocked, shocked to find that no one knows around here!

[TomK]

I will recuse myself for now as well, since I paid attention during the several Telescope Tours my family and I have taken over the years, but come on now PunaWeb community - I'm shocked, shocked to find that no one knows around here!

I think the whole point of the thread is for you to name the place if you think you know where it is and what it is, so I suggest you just go ahead and tell us; otherwise, everyone will keep saying, "I know where that is, but I won't tell you!" Then, when someone else gives the answer, it's "See, I knew it all along!"

I'm fairly certain I know what and where it is, although I've never seen the picture before, but I'm officially recused. There's a big giveaway (actually, two, but the second one requires a bit of astrophysics knowledge), which I'll explain after the answer is announced. I think this is an excellent "What is it? Where is it" post. MyManao was right to recuse me.

ETA: just spotted a third clue which will eliminate one option. I'll explain all later and shut up for now.

[Durian Fiend]

Subaru?

[MyManao]

Subaru?

Nope... 

I'd say close, but any guess would be close.. at least in proximity.

[TomK]

MyManao - I would suggest if someone guesses right, they should explain their answer. There are only a limited number of options, so someone will get it at some point without knowing how!

[Durian Fiend]

Subaru?

Nope... 

I'd say close, but any guess would be close.. at least in proximity.

Sorry. In hindsight it was a bad guess, given the date of its construction and the length of the man’s hair.