Mauna Kea - Restrictions?

I am headed to the big island of Hawaii in September and definitely want to spend some time at night at the summit of Mauna Kea doing some Milky Way shots. Has anyone been and are there restrictions, permits, or any advice?

I know it will be in the low 30's at night and will be prepared. I've heard you can't drive all the way to the top without a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

Appreciate any insight if you've been.

Thanks!
James

You should review these links:

http://www.ifa.hawaii.​edu …/visiting-the-summit.html
http://www.keckobserva​tory.org/education/vis​iting
http://subarutelescope​.org …on/Tour/Summit/​index.html

I have not been to the summit of Mauna Kea. I have spent some time up in Science City on the summit of Haleakala (10k' elevation on Maui).

You get substantially less oxygen at these altitudes. I found that upon arrival, I "felt" fine... until I started to get to work (assembling tripod, mount, camera, and other equipment) and that's when I realized I felt a bit tired and dazed and really need to slow down (and I'm in great health). Haleakala has a national park at one part of the summit but the Science City area (where all the observatories are located) is not open to the public. I was invited in as a guest of someone who has access to the area.

The links to Mauna Kea (in particular the first link) explain that you can take a care to the visitor center at 9,200'... but to go beyond that requires a "true" 4x4 with "low range" transfer case. They also warn that most rental companies do not allow their vehicles to go up to the summit (I think you CAN take them to the visitor station at 9200' and I don't think that requires a 4x4 -- check with your rental company). Basically with the right vehicle you can take a daytime trip to the summit, then descend back to the visitor station and do some stargazing after dark. If you don't have the right car then the visitor station is as far as you can go.

The summit is closed to the public after sunset (30 minutes after sunset), but the visitor station is open and visitors can observe from there all night. The summit is closed to the public and goes to work once it gets dark. Also, it sounds like the visitor station owns telescopes for the public to look through after dark (which is awesome.)

T -

Thanks for the reply! I will check out the links!

James

So it looks like it's not possible to stay at the summit at night - it closes at sundown. Even getting a rental vehicle to make the trip seems like a no-go as rental agencies won't allow it. There are tours to the top - may look into that and have to make do with the observation/visitors area halfway up the mountain that is open at night for star gazing.

9200' is pretty high and you'll be above the clouds. It looks like the Visitor Information Station (VIS) is on the south side of the slope so you'd have unobstructed views to things like Omega Centauri and other southern hemisphere gems that we normally can't see from northerly latitudes (it's currently rising in the east at around midnight)

To the west after sunset look for the Zodiacal Light. This is dust in space that follows the planet and normally cannot be seen except from exceptionally clear and dark skies (which you'll have). It will rise up from the western horizon after sunset and have a giant triangle shape to it (roughly "christmas tree" shape of light pollution rising out of the western horizon... but it's not from Earth light pollution, it's the sun lighting up dust in space. Make sure you get a photo of that so you can "complain" to your friends about the "light pollution problems" in Hawaii.

If you're island hopping (since there's not a lot to do on the big island), you can go to the summit at Haleakala with a normal car (roads are paved all the way to the top) and it's a national park. You can be out all night there -- but they don't have any provided telescopes, etc. You have to bring your own gear. I didn't bring a scope... instead I brought my tripod, camera, lenses, and a tracking head.