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Our journey to the top of Mauna Kea begins below the clouds |
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Up near the top and just about at the cloud-line is where the resident and visiting scientists call home |
Yes, this is Hawaii |
At the top, 4200 meters or about 13,796 feet above sea level it'd damn cold |
Silversword, perennials endemic to Hawaii and only found in a few locations on Maui and here, the big island |
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Hoodies |
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Just above the clouds, looking back in the distance at a few cinder cones |
Soaking some rays |
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Tracks in the snow, right, real Hawaiian snow, cool |
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First glimpse of a couple of the telescopes up on the ridge |
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Reppin' California |
Loving the symmetry of nature |
Getting the details about each of the scopes and quick check before we go higher |
Snow bandit |
Tracks in the snow laid down by a single boarder up at the top |
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Cinder cone and steel |
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One of the coldest places to hit the restroom |
The summit of Mauna Kea has been a celestial observatory since ancient times and is considered to be one of the best astronomical sites in the world |
Looking back towards the other huge volcano on the island, Mauna Loa |
Home to many of the world's leading astronomical observatories |
Watching as the sun falls toward the horizon |
The shadow of the volcano we're standing on |
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The summit is above approximately 40% of Earth's atmosphere and 90% of the water vapor, allowing for exceptionally clear images of the night sky |
Sun-worshipper |
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Gettin' high on the altitude |
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The line-up as the sun drops |
Just as the sun is setting the whole area comes alive with telescope action |
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From atop Mauna Kea all of the northern sky and most of the southern sky is visible |
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As the sunlight fades, the star-gazing begins |
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