HONOLULU, July 2 -- The University of Hawaii issued the following news release:
Link to video (details below):https://go.hawaii.edu/ryJ
The University of Hawaiʻi is taking another significant step toward reducing the number of telescopes on Maunakea, announcing July 1, 2026 that science operations at UKIRT will conclude on September 15. Aging facilities and funding challenges, especially given the expiration of the UH master lease in 2033, in addition to the obligations contained in the UH Master Plan, led to the decision to end science operations. The U.S. Naval Observatory has sponsored scientific research at UKIRT for many years, supporting decades of discovery through the telescope.
UKIRT will become the third Maunakea telescope...