Mauna Kea, Hawaii

(Flash version here.)

It's all that and a bag of CCD chips.

(26 June, 2001) State Highway 190 from Kailua-Kona leads to the notorious Saddle Road. (It even has its own web site.) Very rugged terrain, the landscape peppered with cinder cones. Two great volcanos on either side pierce the cloud deck.

Mauna Loa as seen from Mauna Kea near the Visitor Station, altitude about 9000 ft. An hour or so spent here prepares the body for the thin air at the summit. Observatory employee housing is also here.

From here to the summit, it's four-wheel drive or else. One wonders how the massive optics of the telescopes made it to the top intact.

Cultural tensions between the observatories and Native Hawaiians have emerged over the years. The actual summit is considered sacred, and at least one cinder cone peak at the top is off limits by agreement. Alright. Full disclosure. I'm a geek from Alabama. I love the amazing technology. But based on past performance I kinda suspect a little more respect to the native Hawaiian stance is due.

A nerd in full

Note the calm, relaxed demeanor. The tasteful headgear. The perfectly symmetric bags under my eyes. It can mean only one thing: not enough, uh, what's that gas ... you're supposed to like, need or something?

The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. Water vapor absorbs many of the interesting wavelengths between infrared and radio. This high and dry location permits observing several classes of celestial objects, including nebulae and star-forming regions.

When our small group reached the summit I was too thrilled to notice any ill effects from the 13,800 ft altitude. Except for the burping lasting a couple of minutes. The more experienced in our group said that was a new one for them. Shown here are the UK Infrared Telescope, University of Hawaii 2.2m Telescope, Gemini consortium telescope.

Soon everyone wanted to pose with the GPS, including these newlywed teachers.

The shadow of Mauna Kea on the cloud deck. A reliable inversion keeps clouds low and provides this location over 250 clear nights per year.

A most amazing sight

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

I have no explanation for this feature. The clouds resembled "frozen rapids," and it may be the single most beautiful thing in nature I have ever seen.

It was actually quite mild, about 35 F, at the top during this evening. Snowfall is not uncommon at any time during the year. It's been said that Mauna Kea is the most wired mountain in the world, so weather reports are always available.

The Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.