StarCam images courtesy CFHT & Asahi Shimbun in collaboration with Subaru Telescope, NAOJ

(BIVN) – A new, 24/7 livestream from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the summit of Maunakea is now online.

The observatory, headquartered in Waimea, has partnered with Japanese media company Asahi Shimbun to provide the new CFHT-Asahi StarCam. The high-definition, weather-proof camera system faces west, and streams live video directly to YouTube. The new StarCam has been streaming since January 9th.

The new livestream is similar to the existing StarCam provided by the same media company, located at the Subaru Telescope.

“Last spring, Asahi Shimbun approached us about adding another camera, this time facing West, to give viewers a new perspective of the Mauna,” said Cam Wipper, CFHT astronomy technical specialist and UH Hilo alumnus, in a news release. “This partnership allows us to share the beauty of Maunakea and the magic of the night sky with people worldwide. The live feed lets viewers witness dynamic events like meteor showers and sunsets, which are hard to capture with still images.”

From a Maunakea Observatories news release:

The CFHT-Asahi StarCam is strategically positioned to look toward the Western sky, while the existing Subaru-Asahi camera provides a view facing East. This unique setup offers complementary perspectives of the summit, enhancing the public’s experience. Typically, there are about 40 to 200 people watching the live stream at any given moment but can surge into the tens of thousands during meteor showers or other astronomical events.

“We appreciate the partnership with Asahi Shimbun that has allowed us to expand the Asahi StarCam network on Maunakea and bring these incredible views to a global audience,” said Dr. Ichi Tanaka, senior staff astronomer at the Subaru Telescope. “Our goal is to build a community that can appreciate the wonder of astronomy, no matter where they are.”