Mauna Loa Solar Observatory and the SSSC Great Observatory

Solar observations of the low corona, He I 1083.0 nm and H-alpha obtained at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) provide an extensive complimentary and supporting dataset to many NASA missions such as STEREO, SDO, TRACE and Solar-B. These datasets, coupled with the Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP), due to begin taking synoptic magnetic field measurements in the low corona in 2006, can provide valuable scientific contributions and extensions to many NASA programs. The Advanced Coronal Observing System (ACOS) at MLSO is comprised of three instruments: PICS, CHIP and Mk4, which together record the solar chromosphere and low corona every three minutes over a 9 hour observing day for an average of 340 days per year. The Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP), images the low corona at 1074.7 and 1079.8 nm and the off limb chromosphere at 1083.0 nm. From these images, the line-of-sight (LOS) magnetic field strength and plane of sky direction are inferred from Stokes parameters. CoMP data were taken throughout the Summer of 2005 at the Sacramento Peak Observatory in Sunspot NM and plans are underway to start continuous synoptic observations there in 2006. Here we present highlights of the MLSO and CoMP datasets, emphasize recent work using NASA and MLSO datasets and discuss plans to provide new data products that compliment NASA data as well as combine NASA, MLSO and CoMP observations.