Astronomy's impacts are widespread
The spending translated into $8.15 million in state taxes and 1,394 state jobs.
"Nearly 70 percent of local spending occurred in Hawaii County," the report says. "The $58.43 million of expenditures attributed to astronomy activities in Hawaii County alone generated $91.48 million in local business sales."
Roy Gal, spokesman for the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, said astronomy's impacts are widespread.
"A lot of people don't realize, it's not just astronomers on the island spending money," he said. "You've got telescope technicians and engineers and staff and all those folks living on Hawaii Island. And they tend to be technically proficient, so they're earning above-average pay and spending it here, and their kids are going to school here. They also tend to do a lot of volunteer work, so it's not just an economic impact but a societal impact as well."
More astronomy spending is coming with construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, set to begin next spring.
"Construction alone for TMT is going to be over a billion dollars," said spokeswoman Sandra Dawson. "Construction of observatories has been a major boon to the local economy, as well as repairs. They're always putting in new instruments . and it just makes economic sense to always try to hire local people."