UH astronomers lend eyes to the study of a supernova

Two University of Hawaii astronomers recently participated in the observation of a supernova that’s visible only once in a generation.

The Institute for Astronomy said Monday that Alan Stockton and Hsin-Yi Shih observed the exploding star in August using the Keck II telescope on Mauna Kea after receiving an urgent email from a University of California, Berkeley, scientist.

The scientist, Peter Nugent, wanted to know whether they could observe a new supernova, SN 2011fe, discovered the previous night in California.

Stockton and Shih fulfilled the request, and in return became co-authors of Nugent’s papers using the data. One of the papers was published in the Dec. 15 issue of the journal Nature.

Their work will help astronomers better understand why supernova explosions occur.

Camping permits for city parks will be unavailable in Wahiawa

Camping permits for city parks on Oahu will no longer be issued at the satellite city hall in Wahiawa after Dec. 30 because of access and public safety concerns, the city announced Wednesday.

Camping permits after that date can be obtained at the satellite city hall in Kapolei, 1000 Uluohia St., and at the Fasi Municipal Building at King and Alapai streets downtown. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

The city plans to offer an online process for camping permits sometime in 2012. For more information on camping, call the Parks Permit Section at 768-3440 or go to www1.honolulu.gov/parks/camping.htm.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Guard helps man suffering asthma attack

An 18-year-old man who was having an asthma attack was evacuated by the Coast Guard Thursday from a small boat near Molokini crater off Maui.

The boat’s crew radioed the Guard’s rescue coordination center in Honolulu at 8:30 a.m. The man was breathing but was reported to be unresponsive with a weak pulse, the Coast Guard said.

A doctor from a passing boat was transferred to the vessel and cared for the man until Guard rescue personnel arrived.

The man was taken to the Kihei Boat Ramp, where he was transferred to Emergency Medical Services for further treatment.

Kulani academy to graduate second class

The Hawaii National Guard’s Youth Challenge Academy in Kulani will graduate its second class at 10 a.m. today at the Kamehameha Schools’ Hawaii Campus auditorium.

The class includes more than 70 cadets. The first class of cadets graduated from the six-month program in June.

Youth Challenge is a residential program in which at-risk teens 16 to 18 years old are given military-style discipline and life-coping skills while they study for their high school diplomas.

The residential program is followed by a one-year mentoring program.

Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz, Maj. Gen. Darryll D. M. Wong, Hawaii adjutant general, and Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi are schedule to attend today’s ceremony.

Since 1994 about 3,000 cadets have graduated from the Hawaii program, which is one of 32 Youth Challenge programs in the nation.