Human beings have always been prone to a spot of stargazing. Staring up into the night's sky can fill a person with an all-encompassing sense of awe, and can help them rediscover their sense of perspective.
Those who enjoy stargazing will find no better place to do so than Hawaii's Big Island. With powerful telescopes and a mountain that offers a brilliant view of the night's sky, the island is in a league of its own when it comes to getting a glimpse of the astronomical.
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea was built for viewing the heavens. While it's a naturally occurring landmark, it seems like it's been designed by mankind for the sole purpose of looking up into the sky.
Up on the mountain's summit sit the JCMT and CSO telescopes, some of the most powerful in existence. These telescopes are held in locally run observatories and are available for the public to use. Tours run taking people up to the summit of Mauna Kea (which is 13,000 feet above sea level). Of course, you're free to travel up to the top alone, where volunteer astronomers will wait to teach you more about the equipment and what you'll be seeing.
Check out this great resource on The Big Islands Telescopes.
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