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Take the following things into account when doing so: You can visit the summit and see the telescopes during daytime and stay for up to 30 minutes after the sun has set.

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How to drive to the MaunaKea summit yourself: 8 things to know Telescopes are obviously not bothered by a lack of oxygen so the summit *is* the best place for them. Once the parking lots are full, all vehicles will be turned away.ĭid you know: that you can actually see more stars from the visitor station than from the Maunakea summit? Your vision at the summit is less acute because of the lack of oxygen there, meaning you can see less stars even though your are at higher elevation. Parking at the VIS is available for up to 115-vehicles on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be aware of the possibility of long lines and scarce parking at the Visitor Information Station (VIS) on these evenings until ~1.5 hours after sunset. Be aware that you need to stop at the visitor center for a while to help your body acclimatize to the large altitude difference between Kona/Hilo and the summit (13,796 ft). There are special stargazing program events some Saturdays.ĭirections from Kona (64 mi) and Hilo (43 mi) to the summit of MaunaKea. These nights are: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (weather permitting), and reservations are not needed. The stargazing program is organized four nights per week between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm.

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Important: Due to COVID restrictions the free star gazing program described below is currently NOT offered.Īt night, local volunteer astronomers set up telescopes outside of the station and let visitors use them under supervision as part of their free stargazing program ( website). Free stargazing program at the VIS (currently suspended) You can also watch a video about astronomy in the center, and find a small shop where you can buy souvenirs, hot and cold drinks, and snacks. The purpose of the visitor center is to educate the visitors on the cultural importance of the mountain.

It was named after the Hawaiʻi-born astronaut Ellison Onizuka who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. Credit: Madereugeneandrew – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0ĭid you know? The visitor information station is officially called the “Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station”.

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Make sure that you have a full tank of gas before you start the ascent, as the nearest gas station is ~35 miles (50 km) from the visitor station.Ī view of the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station on the ascent of MaunaKea, taken from a Puʻu at the 9300 ft. The visitor center is located ~halfway up the volcano at 9,200 ft elevation. To reach the visitor station ( website) follow Saddle Road (Hwy 200) until you get to the Mauna Kea access road (around mile marker 28, across the street from the Puʻu Huluhulu Cinder cone parking lot) and follow that road up. How to drive to the MaunaKea Visitor Information Station (MKVIS) going to the summit yourself requires a 4WD car, good driving skills, and planning, so many people prefer joining a tour to the summit.

The free stargazing program at the VIS ( currently suspended).

How to get up to the MaunaKea Visitor Center (MKVIS).

To get all the way to the summit you need a 4WD vehicle with good brakes to navigate the steep and winding gravel road to the summit. You can reach the visitor station with any car. There are two logical destinations on MaunaKea if you want to visit for stargazing: the visitor station halfway up the volcano and the telescopes at the summit. How to visit the MaunaKea summit yourself Click here for more information on how the see the sunset from both locations.ĭo you have a question about MaunaKea that is not answered by our guide? Please get in touch with us so we can answer it for you.

Seeing the sunset from the summit is more spectacular but the visitor information center is a good alternative if you cannot make it to the summit. In this guide we explain how you can visit the Maunakea Visitor Center and see the telescopes and sunset at the summit. Health hazards associated with being at high elevations.What’s in a name: Mauna Kea or MaunaKea?.List of observatories on the MaunaKea summit.Seeing the sunset: from the visitor center and from the summit.Free stargazing program at the MKVIS (currently suspended).

Getting to the MaunaKea Visitor Center (MKVIS).

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