Stargazing on Mauna Kea
The Big Island is one of the best places in the world to look at the stars. One of the worlds best optical telescopes is built on the summit of Mauna Kea, and thanks to excellent outreach activities it is possible, easy and extremely interesting to visit the summit of Mauna Kea for stargazing and out of this world sunsets.
Visiting the summit of Mauna Kea is a highlight for many, but not for everyone. Know what to expect, and if there are some people in your party that would rather spend their time differently, let them! If you like astronomy, stargazing, history, culture, archeology and geology, you will have a stellar time. There are two options: Go yourself or join a tour.
Join a professional stargazing tour
Joining a tour relieves you of all the planning and especially the drive up to the summit. Most tour guides are very knowledgeable and can tell great stories that teach you about the geology, history and archeology of Mauna Kea. Stargazing tours stay on the summit until sunset and then bring you down to a private stargazing location where the guide brings out a telescope, laser pointer, warm jackets, and maybe even a hot meal. Mauna Kea Summit Adventures and Hawaii Forest and Trail are respected tour operators. Downsides of a tour are their cost (generally more than $180/person) and you aren't allowed to have a look *inside* the observatories. If you want the last, you have to tag along with an escorted summit tour (see below).
Organize stargazing yourself
You can also organize your trip to the summit yourself. The most important thing to note is that you are only allowed up to the summit with a 4WD car, and that all rental agencies except harpers forbid their cars to go up to saddle road and the summit of Mauna Kea. The drive is not easy and we only recommend it to people that feel comfortable driving a 4WD vehicle. The 4WD requirement means that most probably you have to "double book" one of their 4WD cars next to your own rentals cars for one day.
At the summit elevation of 13,796 ft, the atmospheric pressure is 40 percent less than at sea level. This means that less oxygen is available to the lungs, and this can cause many health problems if you are not properly acclimatized. You can acclimatize by pausing for a half hour at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station on Mauna Kea before continuing to the summit.
There are free stargazing programs at the visitor center every night of the year between 6 pm and 10 pm, and also escorted summit tours every Saturday and Sunday. During the free stargazing program you will see a video and be able to use any of the telescopes set up outside the visitor center after sunset. The summit tour leaves from the visitor center at 1 pm and lets you see the inside of at least one Mauna Kea observatory! Afterwards you can stay at the summit until sunset and then slowly drive down for the free stargazing program.
For more information on health hazards and organizing your own tour, have a look at the lovebigisland stargazing on Hawaii guide.
Driving from Aaah the views to the summit
The drive from Aaah the views to the summit to Mauna Kea is less than 50 miles. You can find the directions here. Very briefly: Follow highway 19 into Waimea, and turn right onto the Hawaii Belt Road after 2.7 miles. Take a left onto saddle road (highway 200) after 25 miles, and another left after 13.6 miles onto the Mauna Kea access road.
This information has been provided by the lovebigisland travel guide to Hawaii. Please note that Aaah the views takes no responsibility for the content, nor endorses any of the outfitters or vendors mentioned.