Guidelines for Visitors

From Institutions outside of Japan: to apply your visit or to update your applications, please contact,
Operation Center, Subaru Telescope at Hilo, Hawaii, U.S.A.;

• Contact Person: Tomoko Fuselier
• E-mail:
• Phone: +1-808-934-5000
• Fax: +1-808-934-5099

After receiving an acceptance of your proposal

• Please read the adoption notification carefully.
• Please peruse your “Call for Proposals” again.
• [Travel Support] Please visit the link below if you need to apply the travel expenses.
  
  The procedures for applying travel support and the workflow

A month before the observation

• Please select the final members visiting the Subaru Telescope

• There is a limitation of the number of visitors allowed to stay at the Subaru Telescope in order to maintain safety and observation efficiency. Three visitors per program is the maximum number allowance to stay at the summit facility or the remote observation room in the Hilo Base facility. The number of the visitors at the summit is also limited, therefore, if there are more than two observations carried out, the number of visitors may be restricted to less than three. In this event, we will inform you in advance.
• This restriction mentioned above applies all times, no matter whether the visitors pay their own travel expenses or not. Subaru Telescope always has visitors conducting various projects, therefore, the number of visitors mentioned above is the maximum number that we are currently ready to accept.
• However, from an operational and educational point of view, we may accept the number of visitors exceeding the limitation, only when safety and operation are guaranteed. Please contact the Open Use Section in Mitaka a month before your visit for details.
• Please inform the Open Use Section in Mitaka about all observers visiting to Subaru Telescope including name, contact information (phone number and e-mail address) one month before their visit.
• Please instruct all observers visiting to the Subaru Telescope to read this web site.

• Please initiate to make a contact with your Support Astronomer

Visiting observers are required to establish and document proper observation procedures by contacting with the Support Astronomer (SA) beforehand. Please make an arrangement with your SA regarding your research details by one month before your observation as it is indicated in an observation schedule notification.

• [Travel Support] If you wish to receive your travel expenses before your departure, the advance payment is available. Procedure is needed to be done a month before your departure, please contact us at Subaru Telescope Open Use Section in Mitaka.

Two weeks before your departure

• [Travel Support] Please make your travel arrangement.

1. Airfare Estimate
2. Airfare Receipt
3. Flight Itinerary

Please inform the Open Use Section in Mitaka of your request for the support of the travel expenses by submitting above (a, b, and c) documents as well as the Subaru Telescope Visitor Form.
Although your application will be accepted without your receipt (b), make sure to submit it in later, because, you would not receive the support otherwise.

Since changing your schedule would cause slowdown the payment process for yourself and for others, please avoid changing your schedule as much as possible.

• Please fill in and submit the Subaru Telescope Visitor Form.

• The Subaru Telescope Visitor Form is essential to make travel arrangements such as hotel, rental car, etc. It is important to submit it on time, otherwise, arrangements may not be made as you request. In addition, if you fail to submit it by two weeks before your observation, your visit may not be permitted.
• Each visitor need to complete the Subaru Telescope Visitor Form and fax or e-mail it to Subaru Telescope Open Use Section, NAOJ at Mitaka (Fax: 0422-34-3527) by two weeks before their departure. However, the observers coming from outside of Japan with their own expenses can fax directly to Operation Center, Subaru Telescope (1+808-934-5099).

Download the Subaru Telescope Visitor Form.　Microsoft Excel Adobe PDF PNG

Download for Staffs of Optical and Infrared Astronomy Division, NAOJ (Japanese Form only).
Microsoft Excel Adobe PDF

• Travel itinerary
  For the summit observation, visitors need to arrive at the Hale Pohaku (mid-level facility of Mauna Kea) by the day before the beginning of the observation for acclimatization. Most visitors fly into Hilo International Airport and take either a rental car or a taxi to Subaru Telescope Hilo Base Facility and attend the orientation. We do not offer any transportation between Hilo Airport and Subaru Telescope. Then, they leave for the Hale Pohaku on the same day. There is a free shuttle service available from the Subaru Telescope Hilo Base Facility to the Hale Pohaku. It leaves at 1:30 p.m. at Subaru Telescope Hilo Base Facility. If your flight schedule conflicts with this shuttle schedule, please contact Open Use Section in Mitaka (for visitors from Japan) or Operation Center in Hilo (for all others). We may adjust the time of departure of the shuttle.
   
• About weekends and holidays arrival in Hilo
  The Subaru Telescope is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (M-F). We strongly encourage you to arrive during our office hours. The office is closed during weekends and holidays, and there is no service available for visitors during that time. Not only you cannot enter the facility, but also there is no support available regarding your unexpected troubles such as transportations, hotel, or flight delay. We are not responsible for disadvantages if you arrive in Hawaii outside of our business hours.

• Tips for preparation for your trip

• If you stay at a hotel, you are responsible for the payment. Please have a credit card valid in the U.S. If you do not have a valid credit card, you may be charged a large amount of deposit upon check-in.
• If you do not receive travel support from Subaru Telescope, you need to pay for the Hale Pohaku accommodation fee at Subaru Telescope. Only credit cards (Visa, Master, JCB and Diners Club) are acceptable.
• Please make sure with your credit card companies that your credit cards are valid in the U.S. We are reported that a credit card issued in Japan was not accepted here.
• If you are planning to drive a car, make sure to obtain an International Driver's Permit and bring it along with your domestic driver's license.
• Buying travel insurance is highly recommended since medical costs are fairly expensive in the U.S. Please purchase one or bring a credit card, which comes with the travel insurance. Visitors are also encouraged to obtain information regarding procedures of medical cost reimbursement and local contact numbers of the insurance company.

Before your departure from your home

• You will receive your Visitor Form with confirmation numbers. Please check your visitor form again and make sure that all the information is accurate. If you find an error, please contact Open Use Section in Mitaka (for visitors from Japan) or Operation Center in Hilo (for all others).

• Rule of the use of your computer in the facilities

If you are planning to use your computer by connecting LAN in Subaru Telescope facilities, please make sure that your computer is not infected with virus. Make sure that your computer has a valid virus protection as well.

At your home airport

• Exchanging currency to US dollar before your departure is recommended. There are money exchanges at the Honolulu Airport, however, they may be closed upon your arrival available or you may forget to exchange.
• Make sure to check in your baggage all the way to Hilo. By doing so, you may save your time and effort to carry your baggage in the Honolulu Airport.

When you arrived at Honolulu Airport

• After you went through the immigration, the baggage claim and the custom, you need to check in your baggage again for the inter-island flight. You may find a place to check in before you exit the building.
• Money exchanges are located in front of the custom area, and this is the last place where you can exchange you can exchange money in the airport. All stores and restaurants in the airport are located beyond the security gate.
• Due to the strict security policy in the airport, it may take longer to pass through the security gate. Please keep in mind so that you will not miss your flight.
• If you need to make a phone call to the Subaru Telescope from the Honolulu Airport, there is a toll-free number (1-888-801-6265). No coin is needed. You may just pick up the handset and push the number. Please inform that you are the Open Use visitor, so that your phone call can be transferred to the Operation Center. You may speak Japanese or English.
• Please call and inform us if your flight is delayed. Please call if you cannot arrive in Hilo during the office hours (until 4:30 p.m.) or if you miss your shuttle because of flight delay.

When you arrived at Hilo Airport

• If your check-in baggage did not arrive with you at the Hilo Airport, please go to the airline customer service and tell them to send your baggage either Hale Pohaku or your reserved hotel. If you asked them to bring your baggage to Subaru Telescope Hilo Base facility, we will not be able to receive after the office hour. Moreover, we do not have any transportation to bring it to Hale Pohaku or your reserved hotel.
• From the Hilo Airport, you can take a taxi cab or use a rental car to the Subaru Telescope. You can get a taxi by asking an airport security guard around you. Rental car desks are located on the other side of the street at the airport exit.
• It takes about 15 minutes from the Hilo Airport to the Subaru Telescope.
  • After leaving the airport, keep going straight on first two traffic lights (you should be on Kekuananoa St., and you will pass Kanoelehua Ave. and Manono St.).
  • Turn right on Kilauea Ave and keep driving on the left lane.
  • Turn left on Mohouli St. and pass a traffic light.
  • Keep driving up the hill (approximately 1.1mile)
  • At the second traffic light, turn left on Komohana St. and drive about 0.2 mile.
  • You will see the traffic light and enter the left turn lane and turn left on Nowelo St. There is a sign said "University of Hawaii at Hilo".
  • Go down the hill and turn left on the first street. Subaru Telescope is on your left, the second building (White building) from the end of the street.
  • Address is 650 North A`ohoku Place

[References]
Honolulu International Airport
Hilo International Airport
Map to Subaru Telescope Hilo Base Facility

Important Phone Numbers

You don’t need to dial 1-808 if you are calling from the Big Island of Hawaii. If you are outside of the Big Island such as other Hawaii islands, mainland of the U.S, or Canada, you need to dial 1-808.

Arriving at Subaru Telescope

• Please inform the front desk that you are the Open Use visitor. The Operation Center is the room 101.
• You will participate in the orientation at the Operation Center. You will receive a package for Open Use visitors. Please read and sign Agreement about Open Use Policy and Indemnity Release and submit it to the Operation Center. If you are going to the summit, please read Safety Guidelines and Safety Procedures at the Summit carefully.
• If you need to pay for the Hale Pohaku accommodation fee, please pay at the Operation Center. We accept credit cards cnly (Visa, Master, JCB, and Diners Club).
• Please let us know if you are planning to stay at the Subaru Telescope temporarily. The visitor room is available for you.
• Please take a shuttle from the Hilo Base facility to the Hale Pohaku. The Shuttle leaves at 1:30 p.m. everyday.

Notes: If you arrive during weekends or off our office hours, you will need our arrangement to enter the building. Please be on time for your schedule.

Subaru Telescope base facility at Hilo

The room 204 is the visitor room located on the second floor. Two Linux PC, a printer and a telephone are in the room. Each desk in the room is equipped with a power outlet and a LAN cable. Please let us know upon the registration if you want to use the room. A library, meeting rooms and Staff Lounge are in the facility. There are a refrigerator, a microwave, a toaster, and hot water available at the Staff Lounge. There is no food available for purchase in the facility. A cafeteria in Imiloa Astronomy Center and another cafeteria in University of Hawaii at Hilo are within walking distance (5 to 10 minute walk). No grocery store is within walking distance. There is a convenience store on the way from the airport to the facility. The name of the store is "Seven Eleven." Smoking is prohibited in the base facility at Hilo except for a designate smoking area and in the summit facility inside the building. See a poster placed in the visitor room for details.

The day before going up to the summit

As mentioned in the Subaru Telescope Safety Manual, smoking and drinking a day before going up to the summit should be avoided. Do not do scuba diving a day before your observation at the summit as well.

For visitors who do remote observation

• The Remote Observation room is room 208 located on the second floor of the Subaru Telescope Hilo Base facility.
• Please make enough time for the preparation so that you can start your observation on time.
• You are responsible for your transportation between your hotel and the Hilo base facility.
• Meal service is not provided. Please prepare your own food. There are a refrigerator, a microwave, a toaster, and hot water available at the Staff Lounge next to the Remote Observation room.

About the use of computers at the Subaru Telescope

Please refer to this website . Please make sure that your computer is virus free using your own antivirus software with the latest definition file before you plug it to any network in Subaru facilities.

For your safe observation