in clusters of the three major components of the Universe -- galaxies (i.e. stars), gas, and dark matter -- make clusters wonderful astrophysical laboratories.
As the MACS team works toward the completion of the survey, a number of observatories -- the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Subaru 8m and Keck 10m optical telescopes on Mauna Kea, and the BIMA array of nine radio telescopes in Northern California -- have begun to target the newly discovered galaxy clusters for detailed follow-up studies. With the emphasis of MACS slowly shifting from the discovery phase to an in-depth analysis of MACS cluster properties, Dr. Ebeling and his collaborators are sure that their project will provide lively fodder for years to come in the ongoing debate about the distribution and ultimate fate of matter in the Universe.
The Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii conducts research into galaxies, cosmology, stars, planets, and the Sun. Its faculty and staff are also involved in astronomy education, and in the development and management of the observatories on Haleakala and Mauna Kea.