Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea rises 4,205 meters above sea level on the Big Island and is home to one of the world's premier astronomical observatories, with thirteen telescopes operated by institutions from multiple countries. The summit sits above roughly 40 percent of Earth's atmosphere, producing some of the clearest skies on the planet for stargazing. The road to the summit passes through alpine desert and cinder fields, and the summit overlook at Puʻu Wekiu offers sweeping views of a volcanic landscape above the clouds.