Mauna Kea Stellar Explorer

OVERVIEW

View the Big Island’s beautiful natural phenomena and stargaze from Mauna Kea, the highest point in the state of Hawaii. Rainbow Falls lives up to its name as rainbows typically form in its mist as the waterfall plummets into the pool below. About a mile or so upstream, you will view Boiling Pots, a series of hollowed-out lava formations that fill with water so turbulent that it appears to boil. You will also explore Kaumana Caves, a massive lava tube that formed when Mauna Loa volcano erupted in 1881. Your attention will then turn to the sky as you travel up Saddle Road, a scenic highway that leads to an elevated viewing area on Mauna Kea. While looking through a special-purpose solar telescope, you will observe the surface of the sun. After sunset, you will view the night sky through a Dobsonian telescope able to reveal galaxies, star clusters and planetary nebulae. Expect to be awed.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Behold beautiful Rainbow Falls and the swirling cauldrons of water at Boiling Pots.
• Explore a massive lava tube that an erupting volcano formed more than a century ago.
• View the activity on the surface of the sun through a high-powered solar telescope
• Observe galaxies, planets and star clusters in the night sky using a Dobsonian telescope.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Closed-toe shoes are mandatory.