UH Hilo’s ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i is one of the island’s newest attractions, presenting real-time information from the observatories high atop Mauna Kea, along with permanent and traveling exhibitions at its home on the UHH campus. Starting in mid-November 2007, the center will be the yearlong host of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s major exhibition, “Cosmic Questions.”

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Summary:

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i is one of the island’s newest attractions, presenting real-time information from the observatories high atop Mauna Kea, along with permanent and traveling exhibitions at its home on the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo campus. Starting in mid-November 2007, the center will be the yearlong host of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s major exhibition, “Cosmic Questions.” The show includes four components: “Our Place in Space,” “Observing the Universe,” “Our Place in Time” and “Great Mysteries,” the last covering topics such as dark matter and black holes. ‘Imiloa’s permanent exhibitions include “Origins,” which presents the Hawaiian view of creation along with the Big Bang theory, and “Voyages,” which contains a one-fifth scale model of a voyaging canoe and Hawaiian cultural exhibits. Throughout the center, you’ll see Hawaiian display text as well as English, reflecting the islanders’ renewed respect for their Polynesian heritage.