09/02/2026
Six Hawaiʻi Island students helped bring a new Gemini North image to life!
They selected the interacting galaxies NGC 7253, and gave this image its Hawaiian name:
✨ Nā ʻUhane Māhoe Huki Pū i ke Ola,
“The Twin Spirits Pulling Together Creating Life.”
The creation of this image began in October 2025 with three local students from Waiākea High School and the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences participating in the Project Hōkūlani internship. Interns Raiyan Rahman, Rafan Rahman, and Alia Tamanha spent one week at the Gemini North Hilo Base Facility with three goals: learn about observatory operations and how scientific data is collected; deepen their own appreciation for Maunakea; and select an astronomical object for Gemini North to image.
In June 2026, three more local students from Keaʻau High School and Kamehameha Schools joined the Project Hōkūlani internship program. Mylin Wilson, Manu Silva-Sampaio, and Samantha Silva-Sampaio shared many of the same goals as their predecessors, and built upon their work by creating a name for the new image of NGC 7253.
About the image
Over 200 million light-years away, NGC 7253 is slowly being drawn together by gravity. Their collision is also triggering new star formation, seen here as glowing pink regions.The image was captured by Gemini North telescope on Maunakea as part of the NOIRLab Legacy Imaging Program.
📷 International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA