Hawaii

Aloha! With the graceful arc of the Earth's limb in the background, the entire
Hawaiian Island archipelago is visible in this stunning photo taken by the astronauts onboard
the shuttle Discovery in October of 1988. Along with popular beaches and tropical resorts,
these volcanic islands offer extreme elevations with dark, dry, cloudless skies. Consequently
they have also become popular sites for sophisticated ground based telescopes. The peak of
Mauna Kea, on the Big Island (upper left), boasts an impressive array of astronomical
instruments including the Keck, the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, the NASA IRTF,
the JCMT and UKIRT, and the Gemini Telescope Project. The dormant volcanic cone of
Haleakala on Maui (just below the Big Island) is home to the Air Force Maui Optical Station
and the Mees Solar Observatory. Mahalo nui loa!