Mauna Kea Has the Best Views of the Starry Night Sky in Hawaii

Hawaii has many unbelievable things to see and experience, but one of the most breathtaking activities you can do on the islands is stargaze at Mauna Kea. Stargazing in Hawaii is one of my favorite things to do. Of course, Hawaii is offensively beautiful during the day, but at night... those dark skies allow you to see a world that light pollution typically drowns out. Grab your loved ones, and be prepared to stay up late so you can experience this wonder in the night sky.

Mauna Kea is one of the clearest spots on planet Earth for stargazing. What you can see when you remove yourself from light pollution is truly mesmerizing.

Astronomers travel from all over the world to experience the stunning night skies above this volcano. You can visit this amazing natural wonder for a glimpse into the night sky rarely seen.

Mauna Kea is a volcano that sits at almost 14,000 feet above sea level.

It’s also 33,000 feet above the ocean floor. That makes this volcano the tallest sea mountain in the entire world.

The summit of this dormant giant volcano is home to thirteen telescopes from research teams in eleven different countries.

The observatory is the world’s largest for optical, infrared, and submillimeter astronomy. However, due to the lack of oxygen, stargazing with the naked eye is not the best at this altitude.

You’ll actually have better luck stargazing without telescopes at the Visitor’s Center, located halfway up the mountain at 9,200 feet.

In fact, the Visitor’s Center holds a free stargazing program four nights a week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. From 6:00 p.m. through 10:00 p.m., you can use local astronomer’s telescopes to view the stunning night sky.

If you do head all the way up to the summit, make sure you stop at the Visitor’s Center for at least an hour to acclimatize.

You’ll need 4WD and plenty of gas to reach the summit. Pregnant women and those with health risks are discouraged from heading all the way to the top because of the altitude. But that’s okay because there is so much to see at the Visitor’s Center!

If you are visiting this sacred place, please be respectful. To Hawaiians, the summit of Mauna Kea is sacred. It is where Poli’ahu, the goddess of snow, lives. Please keep that in mind, and during your travels, be respectful of the land you’ll be visiting.

However you choose to experience the night sky at this beautiful place, you’ll love every minute of it. Milky Way season in the Northern Hemisphere is from March until October, with April to September having the best views. Of course, you'll need clear skies to see anything.

Make time to stargaze in this wonderful area. It will be something you’ll look back on fondly for the rest of your life!

Have you ever gone to stargaze at Mauna Kea? What did you think? Did you get any good photos? If you want to level up your night photography, there are a few things you'll want to have. A sturdy tripod and a red light headlamp are two necessities to get you started! Give yourself 20-30 minutes to adjust your vision, and stay away from using bright lights so you can keep your night vision.

If you’re looking for more places on the islands that will take your breath away, check out this list of 17 Places In Hawaii That Are Basically Heaven On Earth.