Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 6, 2024

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HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK POSTS ABOUT GIN AND THE 1934 ERUPTION: Sept. 6 marks the anniversary of the 1934 eruption, which lasted for 33 days after almost three years of quiet. During that eruption, a curious "tradition" emerged—offering gin to Pelehonuamea. This was not a
traditional Hawaiian offering but likely a custom started by George Lycurgus, the proprietor of the Volcano House hotel, whose stories and influence popularized it among visitors.
    Pelehonuamea has often been anthropomorphized over a century, revered as a deity, yet it’s important to understand her true essence. Many native Hawaiians viewed the world as a delicate balance of many elemental forces—molten lava, flourishing plants, rainforests, and water above and below the earth. Pelehonuamea is the molten lava itself, representing the feminine energy that births ʻāina (land) and creates new earth on the surface.
    While Pelehonuamea is ʻohana (family) in Puna and Kaʻū, to many "she" is seen as a metaphor for the deep connection between Native Hawaiians and the land—not as a human figure. Her presence, and that of the lava, is not necessarily feared but respected. When you visit Kīlauea, remember to do so with respect for both the land and its powerful, living elements.
    The 1934 eruption, which began on this day, provided an exciting interlude after years of calm at Kīlauea. The spectacle lasted for over a month, as molten lava surged through the summit, captivating visitors and locals alike.

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    This month a few planets can be spotted during sunset, beginning with the planet Venus (Hokulea) which can be seen on the western horizon shortly after the setting Sun. Saturn (Naholohola) rises a little earlier this month and can be seen on the eastern horizon during twilight. Saturn will remain visible throughout the night. It is also quite bright, so easy to spot. For the night owls among us, Mars (Holoholopina'au) and Jupiter (Ikaika) will also rise in the east ot around 1 a.m. and both planets should be visible till sunrise.

Sky Chart from 'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai'i

    During September, the Hawaiian starline of Mānaiakalani dominates the skies, and toward the end of the month it will begin to make way for the coming stars of Fall as we bid farewell to Summer. If you recall, Mānaiakalani is known by several names depending on translation. It can be known as The Chiefʻs Fish Line, Come-From-Heaven, or Mauiʻs Fish Hook.
    In the Polynesian triangle they represent the islands of Aotearoa (New Zealand), Hawaii, and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). You may also know these stars by their Arabic names, Deneb, Vega, and Altair, respectively. These stars are also known as the Summer triangle. The fishing line itself extends to the constellation of Sagittarius, which in this context is Pimoe, the giant Ulua fish.     Next to this is the distinctive shape of the hook itself, Ka Makau Nui o Māui, also known as Scorpio, the scorpion.
    The region dominated by Pimoe, and Ka Makau Nui o Māui also marks the center of our Galaxy, the Milky Way. On a moonless night the bright core of the Galaxy, filled with the light of millions of stars, is a sight to behold. From our view within the Galaxy we can see the great spiral arms of the Milky Way extending out from the bright core, with vast dark clouds of star forming material silhouetted against the light of countless stars. It is within the bright core of our Galaxy that we find the a supermassive black hole of Sagittarius A.
    In 2022 history was made when the black hole was imaged by the Event Horizon Collaboration of telescopes, including the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) and the Submillimeter Array (SMA), both located atop Maunakea.

Sagittarius in the Milky Way imaged by EHT

   The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration is an enormous scientific endeavor that links multiple radio telescopes across the globe to create what is essentially Earth sized telescope capable of providing stunningly detailed science at a ver high resolution. This remarkable undertaking includes telescopes in Chile, Hawai'i, Spain and Greenland.
    In May of 2022 the EHT made history with the first high resolution images of the supermassive black hole at the center of our Galaxy. Not content with resting on their laurels, the EHT has just delivered even more of the sharpest images of black holes ever captured from Earth, marking a thrilling leap forward in astronomy. By pushing the limits of technology, the EHT team used an ultra-high frequency of 345 GHz to provide breathtaking new views of supermassive black holes like M87 and Sagittarius A, the monster lurking in the heart of our Milky Way.
     So what does radio frequency have to do with capturing images of these black holes? A radio telescope frequency is similar to the resolution on a digital camera. Think about the camera on your phone, for example. The higher the resolution the more detailed the photograph it captures. For radio telescopes, which see in the radio light instead of visible light, a higher frequency means a more im pressive and detailed image. In this case it reveals the intricate dance of hot gas and powerful magnetic fields swirling around these cosmic titans. With this higher resolution, scientists can now probe the mysterious regions surrounding black holes with more precision.

Black hole is the center of the M87 galaxy at 345 Ghz by EHT in 2024.

    This new development by EHT sets the stage for creating high-definition "movies" of black hole activity, allowing us to witness these behemoths in action for the first time. It also allows us to push the boundaries of our understanding of the physics of the Universe and opens the door to new discoveries in the most extreme corners of our celestial realm. It is a proud moment for astronomy, particularly astronomy right here in Hawai'i.

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