Hawaiʻi Island's Journey Through the Universe Reaches 3,000 Students in 22nd Year

Journey Through the Universe, Hawaiʻi Island’s largest astronomy education program, reached over 3,000 students during its 22nd year as Spring Journey Week ran Feb. 2–6, 2026. The program delivered classroom visits, portable planetarium shows, career panels and community events across Hilo-Waiākea, supported by 46 volunteer educators from Maunakea Observatories, NSF NOIRLab, NASA and local universities.

Spring Journey Week opened with an exclusive stargazing kickoff on Jan. 31 at Hale Pōhaku, co-hosted with the Center for Maunakea Stewardship for Hilo-Waiākea teachers, students and families. During the week, classroom presentations reached learners in grades 2 through 12 while ʻImiloa Astronomy Center hosted a Feb. 4 screening of the locally produced planetarium show "Messengers of Time and Space," which explores the collaborative outcomes between the traditional astronomy of using telescopes, and multi-messenger astronomy, which utilizes "invisible messengers" like gravitational waves. The screening was followed by a panel conversation with astronomers.

Devin Chu, an astronomer in residence at ʻImiloa, reflected on the program’s local influence: "We’re very excited to support the Journey program this year. Journey helped foster my career in astronomy as a student at Hilo High, and I’m honored to contribute to its ongoing legacy."

Organizers included the Hawaiʻi Department of Education Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area and the International Gemini Observatory, and the program is operated by NSF NOIRLab and funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation. Journey Through the Universe "is brought to you by the International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab, the Department of Education Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area, and the Maunakea Observatories." Community partners and sponsors ranged from Bank of Hawaiʻi, Basically Books and Big Island Candies to the Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope, Hawaiʻi Community College, Hawaiʻi Electric Light Company, the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce, Hawaiʻi Island Economic Development Board, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, the Hawaiʻi Science and Technology Museum, Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald, ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, and others, with one press list showing a truncated entry as "James Clerk [...]," and more partners beyond those named.

For the first time this year, Journey will include high school field trips to the Gemini North Telescope on Maunakea in March and April 2026, expanding direct access to observatory facilities for local students and strengthening the pipeline from classroom to career.

Beyond inspiring interest in space, the program has public-health and equity implications for Big Island County. Broad exposure to STEM and career panels can improve college and job prospects for students who grow up here, addressing long-term social determinants of health tied to education and economic opportunity. The program’s reach across preK–12 and its partnerships with local schools and community organizations aim to reduce access gaps for island families that often face geographic and resource barriers.

For families and educators wanting more details on public events or school participation, contact information is available: Leinani Lozi at (808) 785-9331 or leinani.lozi@noirlab.edu, and Madison Johnson at (979) 942-4338 or mjohnson@iq360inc.com. Keep an eye on the Journey Through the Universe website and NOIRLab schedule pages for updates on March and April field trip plans and future community events.

This year’s Journey kept the sky within reach for thousands of keiki and students, and the coming field trips and partnerships will show whether that spark turns into more local careers in science and stronger educational equity across the island.