High Altitude Observatory

The High Altitude Observatory is a unit within NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) conducting research and monitoring observation of the Sun, with solar telescopes at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) at Mauna Loa, Hawaii. The unit's focus is solar phenomena that affect Earth, i.e., space weather. Instruments:

• K-Cor (coronagraph).
• UCOMP (upgraded CoMP)

Former instruments:

• CoMP (Coronal Multi-cannel Polarimeter).
• PSPT (Precision Solar Photometric Telescope).
• Mk4 (Mark-IV K-Coronameter).
• ACOS (Advanced Coronal Observing System).
• CS60 (Coronado Solarmax 60).
• CHIP (Chromospheric Helium-I Imaging Photometer).
• PICS (Polarimeter for Inner Coronal Studies).
• DPM (Digital Prominence Monitor).
• POM (Prominence Monitor)
• Mk3 (Mark-III K-Coronameter).
• Mk2 (Mark-II K-Coronameter).
• Mk1 (Mark-I K-Coronameter).

Coronal Solar Magnetism Observatory (COSMO) is a plan for three new instruments, one of which is completed (K-Cor).

Note that a November 2022 Mauna Loa eruption took MLSO out of service, blocking power and access roads; lava still too hot for construction has resulted in an extended outage and as of October 2023, road access is expected to be restored in June 2024.