Tag: Mauna Kea

Kaʻohe Observing Site

Looking for a site that is a bit closer to home than driving all the way to the Mauna Kea VIS? Maybe not quite as high up the mountain, not as cold or windy? There is not a lot to choose from on Mauna Kea, much of the land is controlled access, either DLNR or private ranch land. Locked gates are the standard solution around the island.

Hualālai from Kilohana
Looking towards Hualālai from Kilohana, a heavy layer of vog sits just below

There is a gate that is generally not locked. The hunter check-in station at Kilohana that provides access to the Kaʻohe game Management Area. Starting at 5,700 feet from the Old Saddle Road the R-1 road climbs the mountain from here.

The actual spot I use is a staging area used by DLNR crews, hunters and the ATV riders who normally frequent the area. From the neat lines of pine trees it looks like the site was once a homestead or ranch house of some sort built high on the side of the mountain. It is about 1/4mile above Old Saddle Road and the Kilohana hunter check in station and directly adjacent to the R-1 road.

As usual you need to obey DLNR rules for access to the site. The R-1 road is designated a public access trail under the Nā Ala Hele trail system, so a permit should not be required. You must not be “camping”, this is defined by the DLNR as being in possession of “camping paraphenalia”, like sleeping bags, tent, etc., during the hours of darkness.

There is a sign in and out form at the hunter check-in station. The DLNR states that 4WD is required to use the R-1 road, but in reality the old homestead could be reached by any vehicle, the first part of this road is quite nice, basic gravel, the rough stuff is far higher up the mountain.


The site has many advantages. It is just far enough off the Old Saddle Road as to avoid vehicle headlights. Not that there is much traffic on the old road, the new road has accommodated most of the across island traffic and it is miles below the site.

One of the best features of the site is shelter from the strong trade winds that sweep across the island.  The trades are generally from the northeast, while the site is on the southwest flank, sheltered in the lee of a 14,000ft mountain.  I have seen days when the trades were howling in Waimea and Waikoloa, while it was dead calm at Kaʻohe.

You can get some fog and dew here in the evening. At 5,800 feet elevation you are just at the top of the inversion cloud level, sometimes just below. When it is clear it is glorious here, but you can get evening fog until the cooling night allows the sea breeze to wane and the cloud level to subside. You can always pass the site up and head on to the VIS if the cloud tops are higher.

Obsession at Kaʻohe
The 20″ Obsession telescope being set up at Kaʻohe, on the side of Mauna Kea

As with any site on the slopes of Mauna Kea, air currents around the mountain can cause some seeing issues. The site should be less susceptible to cold down slope flows than the VIS area as it sits upon a ridge line, not a depression.

The game management area can occasionally be closed to access by the DLNR for one reason or another. You can check the DLNR website or the Nā Ala Hele trail system webpage. Closures should also be marked at the hunter check-in station.

The site is most easily reached from the new Saddle Road (Daniel K. Inouye Highway) in the valley below. Turning up the old road near milepost 42 and driving one mile up to Kilohana. If you see the girl scout camp you missed the turn by a bit.

I have used the site many times, and have also observed from the nearby Kilohana Girl Scout Camp, and been very pleased with the observing. I suspect I will use the site again in the near future.

Directions from Waimea

The gate into the Kaʻohe Game Management Area and the start of the R-1 road at Kilohana
The gate into the Kaʻohe Game Management Area and the start of the R-1 road at Kilohana
  • Drive south on the Mamalahoa Highway towards Kona
  • 6.2 miles from the Lindsey road light you will reach the old Saddle Road intersection, turn left uphill
  • Proceed 10.2 miles to the Kaʻohe GMA entrance with a sign and yellow gate, the signs also say Kilohana Hunter Check-In Station
  • Proceed 0.2 miles on the dirt road to the site, the site is on the left in front of the pine trees

Directions from Kona

  • Drive 24 miles north from Kona on the Mamalahoa Highway (upper road)
  • Turn right on Saddle Road (Daniel K. Inouye Hwy.)
  • Proceed 9.6 miles on Saddle to the Old Saddle intersection
  • Turn left onto the Old Saddle Road
  • Proceed 1.1 miles to the Kaʻohe GMA entrance with a sign and yellow gate, the signs also say Kilohana Hunter Check-In Station
    Proceed 0.2 miles on the dirt road to the site, the site is on the left in front of the pine trees

Directions from Hilo

  • Drive across island on Saddle Road (Daniel K. Inouye Hwy.) to near milepost 42
  • Turn left up the old Saddle Road
  • Proceed 1.1 miles to the Kaʻohe GMA entrance with a sign and yellow gate, the signs also say Kilohana Hunter Check-In Station
  • Proceed 0.2 miles on the dirt road to the site, the site is on the left in front of the pine trees

Observing from Kaʻohe

A beautiful night on the side of Mauna Kea!

GyPSy in the Night
The 11″ NexStar GPS telescope, GyPSy set up at Ka’Ohe
I have been observing from the driveway quite a bit lately. But I really wanted to escape the neighborhood lights and get some real dark time. Add the vog factor, a thick layer was dimming the stars as seen from lower elevations. A few thousand feet of altitude would solve a lot of problems.

I needed some altitude! But I did not want to go to the VIS, it was cold and windy up there. A compromise was decided upon, if the clouds proved low enough I would go to the Ka’ohe site on the old Saddle Road. Only 5’800 feet elevation is a compromise between getting above the clouds, it is usually just high enough, and staying warm. On the west face of the mountain the winds are usually mild. This is only the second time I have used the site. Not that the site is new, I had noted this place as a possible observing site many years ago, it is only recently I have begun using it.

I have also been working on the ‘scope a bit. Now over a decade old the 11″ NexStar is in need of some TLC. A replaced GPS battery, a new power connector in the base, a little lube in the slip rings, a repaired solder connection also in the slip rings, etc., etc. She is working pretty well now, the GOTO system hitting target after target with precision. Thus I was looking to use the 11″ instead of the 18″, though this limited my magnitude a bit. I set up my observing lists for a maximum magnitude of 13.

What to observe? Just query my observing list generator for a list of whatever I have not observed in the area. I usually work in 30° x 2 hour section of the sky. This evening would see me south of Orion in Lepus, Eridanus, and Columba. What I did not expect is that everything I had not observed down there was a small, dim 12-13 magnitude galaxy! Everything!

NGC1993 Small, very faint, round 1′ in diameter, stellar core

NGC2089 Small, faint, round 1′ in diameter, stellar core

So it went, galaxy after galaxy, the variation was usually some version of faint… “Faint”, “Very faint”, “Quite faint”, to the limit of my vision “Averted vision required with the 28cm”. A bright star or another galaxy in the same field was exciting!

Normally when working a region of the sky I find quite a few plain objects, the usual slew of dim galaxies when off the galactic plane, open clusters in the plane. Usually there is the occasional gem sprinkled in to liven the observing session. Not tonight!

Still, it was very nice to be out under the stars. It was a completely dark night, the sky brilliant with Orion and Canis Major high overhead. I was sitting just at the top of the cloud deck, the cars far below me on Saddle Road creating a dim glow in the clouds. Across the top of the clouds I could see Mauna Loa and Hualalai lit by starlight and skyglow.

A solid three hours at the eyepiece, three pages of notes, and I was out of hot tea. I put down the unending list of dim galaxies and just spent a bit looking up some old favorites. The Orion nebula was stunning in the eyepeice, R Lep is still very, very red. Finally breaking down and heading home, I was in bed about midnight.

Winter is Here

Today marks the beginning of winter. While snow and ice can appear on the summit of Mauna Kea any time during the year, the most severe weather usually occurs during winter storms. We all look forward to the beautiful sight of Mauna Kea with her white coat. Of course this comes at a price, days of difficult access to the summit facilities, or no access at all. The loss of observing nights due to ice and clouds is most common from January to March.

Iced
The emergency evacuation vehicle covered with ice

Mauna Kea from ISS

A beautiful image of Mauna Kea taken from the International Space Station. The image was taken using a Nikon D4 DLSR using an 800 millimeter lens. At the time the ISS was at an altitude of 215 nautical miles (398km) over the island.

Taken in the afternoon the low Sun angle causes the terrain to cast long shadows. The summit pu’u each stand out strongly in relief and the summit observatories are easily visible.

Mauna Kea from ISS
Mauna Kea as seen from the International Space Station, image taken Nov 1, 2015 with a Nikon D4 and an 800mm lens