Mauna Loa Solar Observatory

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The Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) is a collection of solar imaging instruments located on the island of Hawaii, USA at an elevation of 11,000 feet.

[edit] General Information

The MLSO is operated by the High Altitude Observatory, which is a division of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The observatory is tasked with monitoring the solar atmosphere and recording data on plasmic and energetic emissions from the chromosphere and corona. Studies of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are conducted at MLSO.

[edit] Instruments

The MLSO contains instruments to record images of the solar disc and limb, several times per day. The instruments currently in use at the observatory are:

MK4 K-Coronameter - White Light Corona (field-of-view: 1.09 to 2.79 solar radii)
PICS Ha Limb/Disk - Chromosphere ~ 1600km
CHIP Helium-I Imager - Chromosphere ~ 2000km and coronal holes
PSPT - Photosphere (surface) and the chromosphere ~ 400km