Postcard from the Summit – Page 3 – A Darker View

Ski Mauna Kea

A skier shows his delight at the end of a run down the slope on Mauna Kea

Fresh Snow

Fresh Snow on the Summit of Mauna Kea — Fresh Snow on the summit of Mauna Kea

Twilight Telescopes

'Scopes in the Twilight — A pair of 8″ telescopes in the twilight, with a setting Moon and Venus over Hualalai

Sunrise Along the Morning Commute

Sunrise caught me along Saddle Road, this one I had to stop for.

From the Top

Looking down from the top of the Keck 1 dome to Subaru, SMA, and JCMT

Snow

Last week we got a little snow atop the mauna. I forgot to post the photos I took as we were pulling out. Snow was building on the roads and summit lead made the call to end the day a little early…

Heavy snow obscures our normally clear view of IRTF

The Subaru telescope seen as the snow starts to cover the ground

Getting the vehicles warmed up and defrosted before pulling out in heavy snow

Looking up at the Keck 2 dome as we pull out in the snow

Postcard from the Summit – Mamane and Fogbow

As you descend from Hale Pohaku in the afternoon you often drive into the top of the clouds at about 6,000-8,000ft elevation. The transition from clear blue skies to fog is often stunningly breautiful, a zone where light does interesting things. This zone is haunted by ghostly phenomena… As long as the Sun angle is low you will see fogbows here…

Mamane & Fogbow — A favorite mamane tree framed by a fogbow along the Mauna Kea access road

Clear Skies

Cave Astrola Under Clear Skies

Red Lights Under Stars

A cluster of telescopes at Kaʻohe

Planets Over Hualālai

The last glow of Sunset over Hualālai, with Venus just about to set behind the mauna and Jupiter high above.