The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) unveiled a 3D showcase of the Subaru Telescope enclosure. Through a Matterport 3D virtual space, visitors can jump from their homes into the Subaru Telescope, located near the summit of Maunakea on the Big Island of Hawai`i, about 4200 meters altitude, where the available oxygen is only 60% of that found at sea level. By accessing the VR website with your smartphone, tablet, PC, or VR goggles, you can enjoy the inside of the telescope dome, which is currently closed to the public, anytime and anywhere.
Figure 1: The Subaru Telescope viewed from the observation floor inside the telescope dome. (Credit; NAOJ)
Since its first light in 1999, the Subaru Telescope has produced a variety of scientific results. However, because the telescope itself is located at an altitude of about 4200 m, it is not easy to visit the telescope and see how the observations are conducted. Through this virtual tour, anyone can get a closer look at how a large telescope works at one of the world's best locations for astronomical observations. Some of the facilities include explanations and videos.
Dr. Rhythm Shimakawa, project assistant professor at NAOJ, who directed this project, said, "I was in elementary school when the telescope was built, but I am still overwhelmed by the size and advanced control technology of the Subaru Telescope, even after more than 20 years have passed. As a member of Subaru Telescope, I am pleased to have the opportunity to share this experience with you. If public reaction is positive, we plan to expand the program in the future."
Ph.D. student, Masahiro Miyakami (the University of Electro-Communications), co-creator of the project, said, "I am quite excited about the opportunity to implement my VR research in this outreach program. Experiencing the virtual tour with VR goggles makes you feel as if you are visiting the site even at home, so if you have VR goggles, I would highly recommend trying it."
Panoramic images were shot using an Apple iPhone 13 Pro equipped with LiDAR (Note 1) and Matterport Axis. About 200 images taken over two full days were combined and edited in Matterport’s dedicated app to create an interactive 3D model. We acknowledge Matterport Corporation for their generous support in the creation of this tour.
In parallel with this release, 3D showcases of the Observatory History Museum and Solar Tower Telescope, both located in NAOJ’s Mitaka Campus, are also available on the websites of NAOJ and Matterport. We hope you will enjoy them as well.
This program is also supported by Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING, JPMJSP2131) by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).
(Note 1) By analyzing the scattered light from pulsed infrared laser radiation, the distance to an object or wall can be measured to achieve highly accurate 3D scanning.
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