Hawai'i high school students name image of glittering galaxy pair
Nā ʻUhane Māhoe Huki Pū i ke Ola is the Hawaiian name given to NGC 7253—a pair of spiral galaxies caught in each other's gravity. Captured by the Gemini North telescope on Maunakea in Hawai'i, the image created a spectacular symbolic display for this year's interns participating in Project Hōkūlani.
A pair of spiral galaxies, NGC 7253, captured by the Gemini North telescope on Maunakea in Hawaii, has been named Nā 'Uhane Māhoe Huki Pū i ke Ola by interns participating in the Project Hōkūlani program. This name, which translates to "The Twin Spirits Pulling Together Creating Life," reflects the merging of the two galaxies and the transformative experience of the students.
The image, taken in October 2025, offers a closer look at NGC 7253, a pair of galaxies located 200 million light-years away in the constellation Ka Lupe o Kawelo (Pegasus). The interns, Raiyan Rahman, Rafan Rahman, Alia Tamanha, Mylin Wilson, Manu Silva-Sampaio, and Samantha Silva-Sampaio, chose the name to honor both the astronomical significance of the object and the cultural importance of the Hawaiian constellation Ka Lupe o Kawelo.
The project aims to engage middle and high school students in STEM fields through hands-on experiences with real astronomical research.
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