By J. D. Armstrong
Dr. James “JD” Armstrong, the enthusiastic Maui Technology Education and Outreach Specialist at the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA) in Pukalani, is much admired in the community. His work includes research on exoplanets, asteroids, comets, stellar objects, double stars, besides monthly public talks at IfA. “A highlight of my job is mentoring students and assisting with their science projects,” said Armstrong, who manages UH’s time on the Faulkes Telescope North (FTN) atop Haleakala. Owned and operated by Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, FTN offers students live views of outer space streamed straight to their computers.
As soon as the first images captured by the James Webb telescope were published in July 2022, we started to produce a report where the sky describers entered the scene. Astronomers, astrophysicists, instrument specialists, data analysts, all have exposed their contribution to the exploration of the sky, their fascination in front of the immensity of the cosmos and the questions that remain unanswered. This video is part of a series made in Hawaii and on the West Coast of the United States.