Unfortunately I have had to destroy my banana patch.
The back yard banana patch has been leveled
The patch of plants in my backyard was a venerable Keck lineage, starts passed down from one employee to another over the decades. They were the treasured apple bananas so popular in the islands.
I long ago lost count of how many bunches this patch produced, so many small bananas eaten or shared. The little tart tasting apple bananas are an island delicacy. From fresh to dried, or in smoothies we enjoyed this tropical treat from our own yard.
Given the rather high cost of auto service in the islands I tend to do the basic and easy stuff myself. Oil changes, brake pads, even the occasional wheel bearing.
The vehicle up on axle stands while replacing the sway bar links
When I did that bearing I noted the brakes were just fine and the new brake pads ordered at the same time had remained sitting on the shelf.
There the pads have sat for over two years. So a week ago I inspect the brakes again and find out the brakes are fine.
It was a busy night at Kaʻohe, with well in excess of the ten people we are allowed without a permit. I am quite glad I did stop in our local DOFAW office and get the needed permit.
A one day old crescent Moon set over Hualālai
After several weeks of storms the last week has been beautiful weather. A Saturday came I worried the spell of weather would not hold… It did.
As we see so often there was an overcast sky on the side of the mauna when we arrived, a layer of clouds that dissipated shortly after sunset leaving a perfect sky for the remainder of the night.
As we waited for the clouds to clear we set up gear, chatted, introduced folks that had not met, and watched a one day old crescent Moon set over Hualālai.
We had a bunch of Keck folks there, Josh and Harriet, John and Stephanie, Sky, Cliff, Andrew, Philip, and the whole crew Dave Kriege brought along
I brought out my 18″ Deep Violet for the night, best to enjoy a very dark sky and to hunt faint fuzzies in Monocerus and Orion.
My observing list for the night was a collection of objects between 6 and 7 hours right ascension and +10 to -10 declination. I printed out a list of objects I had never observed in the area using my ObsList tool. The area is in the winter Milky Way so this list is mostly open clusters and nebulae.
And observe we did… A great night. Clear and calm, a night for wandering amongst the galaxies.
NGC 2149 A small reflection nebula centered on a 12.7 magnitude star, about 2′ across, faint, fading evenly away from the star
Sh2-282 An extraordinary field, very rich galactic starfield with a couple obvious faint and very rich clusters (NGC2262 and Collinder 110) the area is rich in faint nebulae seen as dark and bright areas in the field
NGC 2143 Large 10′, coarse, fully resolved, a clump of brighter 9-11 magnitude stars in a right starfield, centered on a half dozen brighter members
Andrew Cooper, 26 Jan 2023
Just one of the idyllic nights Kaʻohe can supply for an amateur astronomer. I really need to get up here more often.
I have mixed feelings on these rules. Some of the rules are badly needed to control public activity atop the summit of Mauna Kea, rules that can help preserve and protect this place. I believe other rules go too far, attempting to regulate visitor activities that have no impact on the mauna.
My concerns on these rules are known, I have written about them here on DV and I have testified at each round of public hearings. I will not editorialize this time, the rules are now finalized. Those who go to the mauna should be aware of what has changed, and much has changed, expect these rules to be implemented in coming months.
