Richard Wainscoat, University of Hawaii, Institute for Astronomy

The search for Near Earth Objects - how CFHT is helping, and why dark skies are important

The Pan-STARRS telescopes on Haleakala are engaged in a NASA-funded
effort to search the sky for asteroids and comets that may be
dangerous to Earth.  The Pan-STARRS search has become the leading
search program, and recently discovered the Halloween Asteroid, a
large asteroid that came uncomfortably close with little warning.  We
have been using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope to followup and
confirm objects discovered by Pan-STARRS, and I will describe how this
is contributing to the worldwide effort to find dangerous asteroids
and comets.  Pan-STARRS has also become the leading comet discovery
telescope, and the comet observations from CFHT are yielding new
insight into the formation of our solar system.  The observations from
both Haleakala and Maunakea are critically dependent on dark night
skies, and the current statewide efforts to limit light pollution will
be described.  The lighting ordinance on the island of Hawaii is about
to be revised, and the provisions of the new lighting ordinance will
be discussed.