Does seismic activity on Mauna Kea effect the operation of the telescopes there?
Asked by: Captain Darryl Welch
Answer
Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano. Seismic activity is much less of a concern than
wind.
The summit of Mauna Kea is home to a dozen or so world-class observatories. The
largest, and most well-known is the Keck Observatory.
According to their official website:
'On the telescope, each segment's figure is kept stable by a system of extremely
stable support structures and adjustable warping harnesses. During observing, a
computer-controlled system of sensors and actuators (or precision pistons)
adjusts the position of each segment - relative to its neighbors - to an accuracy of
four nanometers, or 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.'
You can learn more about the W.M. Keck Observatory here:
http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu:3636/
Answered by: Charles Hill, Network Engineer, Deltona, FL
'The true spirit of delight, the exaltation, the sense of being more than Man, which is the touchstone of the highest excellence, is to be found in mathematics as surely as in poetry.'