Telescope Experience at the VIS
The Maunakea stargazing program is back! Come join us at the Maunakea Visitor Information Station (VIS), and enjoy the dark skies and wonders of the universe through our telescopes in a new private viewing experience.
Join us at the Maunakea Visitor Information Station (VIS) for dark skies and a chance to see breathtaking views of the universe through our telescopes in a new private viewing experience.
You can sign up your family to come meet us at the VIS at ~9200 ft / ~2800 m for a night you won’t forget. We’ll take you away from our larger crowds so you can enjoy an intimate experience learning about Hawaiian Wayfinding, Greek mythology, and the deep sky wonders the Milky Way and Universe have to offer.
Upon signing up and securing your reservation, you should receive a confirmation email within 24 hours with more details about the event. Keep in mind that the email can be sent to your spam, so please make sure to check your spam folder. You will need a valid ID in order to check in at the VIS.
This is a weather dependent event. We will contact you through the information you provide if the event is canceled, otherwise you can check the status of the event.
To ensure everyone gets a chance to enjoy our night skies, reservations per party are limited to once per quarter. Once our reservations are full, through the same registration form, we will take a limited number of people on a waitlist in case of cancellations. If you are waitlisted, you will not be blocked from registering from future events unless you are moved up from the waitlist to participate in the event. The VIS reserves the right to cancel or deny any reservations for any reason without notice.
Didn’t get into an event? Check out our nightly stargazing activities!
Happy viewing!
Make a reservation for an event after reviewing the frequently asked questions and policies below.
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Feb. 27 Stargazing Event
@ Thursday, February 27, 2025, 5:15pm HST
As February comes to a close we watch as the Goddess of Love and Beauty bids her last farewells in our skies and makes room for the God of all Gods, Jupiter. Come take a look at the King takes his spot in the sky above followed by the God of War and his Dogs.
Current status:
This event will run until ~8:30 pm -
Maunakea Moon Viewing with Lecture
@ Friday, March 7, 2025, 4:00pm HST
Directors from the International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) will give a presentation on the series of Astronomy Moon Missions they are advancing - from Hawai`i to the Moon with Aloha. We will then provide guided Moon observations highlighting points of interest, including the location that ILOA landed its precursor mission in February 2024, and the two potential landing sites for their upcoming ILO-1 flagship mission to the lunar South Pole region - Malapert Summit and Mons Mouton. Both of these majestic Mountains on the Moon, provide stellar vantage points to conduct observations and communications with the stars, Earth, and the future human lunar base buildout.
For more information on ILOA visit their website: https://iloa.org/
This event is open to the general public and will run until ~8:30 pm.
Make a Reservation
We do not currently have any events with open slots available, however, you may make a reservation here when the next stargazing is available. Please contact us for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is this different from what is done at the VIS every night?
- Where will the event be held?
- How long will the event last?
- The website says the waitlist is full, can I still be waitlisted?
- How many people can register under one reservation?
- I don’t see the month listed that I will be visiting, will you be hosting an event that month?
- Can I go to the summit after I check in?
- Are children safe to attend the event?
- The reservations filled up so quickly, is that for real?
- My event was cancelled due to weather, will it be rebooked?
- What does Kamaʻāina mean? / Why can only residents sign up for Kamaʻāina nights?
- I am not a HI resident, but the only event available while I am here is a Kamaʻāina one, can I attend?
- I have a class I would like to bring up, can we get into the event?
How is this different from what is done at the VIS every night?
There are no public use telescopes at the VIS anymore. Every night at the VIS that the weather is good and the staff is available, VIS staff will be able to do an in depth presentation. Topics will vary depending on VIS staff. Enjoy presentations about Greek constellations, Hawaiian starlines, important objects and discoveries in space, astro-photography, or take part in some Q&A about Maunakea and astronomy to get those burning questions answered! Our event will host a much shorter presentation, with telescopes after.
Where will the event be held?
You will check in at the VIS, but you will be escorted to another site, away from the larger crowds at the VIS. The walk to our event site is short but on uneven terrain.
How long will the event last?
We run the event until around 8:30 - 9 pm HST, depending on the time of year. If you want to leave early however, you may opt to be escorted out.
The website says the waitlist is full, can I still be waitlisted?
Yes, you may email us at mkvis@hawaii.edu to be put on the waitlist once the list is full. Please keep in mind that being on the waitlist is not a guarantee that you will be allowed in the event.
How many people can register under one reservation?
You may sign up 2 adults and 3 kids (17 years of age or younger) under one reservation. Any other people in your party will need to register separately under a different email and phone number. The limitations in booking ensures our events are not booked out by a few large parties so more people can participate.
I don’t see the month listed that I will be visiting, will you be hosting an event that month?
We host events every month we can! Don’t see the month you want? It’s probably too far out for us to plan due to our changing staff availability. Check back in on our website at a later date. We typically post event details 2-3 months in advance.
Can I go to the summit after I check in?
Our check in times are very strict. There is not enough time to go to the summit and return after check in. If you would like to go to the summit, make sure to arrive early in the day so you are back down by the check in time, or plan to go to the summit another day.
Are children safe to attend the event?
Children of all ages may attend our events but there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Keiki 5 years old and younger have a hard time looking through a telescope and usually just stare at the eyepiece. The cold and lack of interesting things for them to play with tend to upset them, resulting in a frequent need to be escorted off site very early. If you would like to participate in the full event, you might consider a babysitter.
- Although the elevation of the VIS is safe for all keiki, the younger they are the more prone they can be to altitude sickness. Check in frequently with your kids about how they are feeling.
- All children must be thoroughly supervised by their parents/guardians throughout the entire event.
The reservations filled up so quickly, is that for real?
Yes! “It’s harder to get reservations for this than tickets for a Taylor Swift concert!” Trust us, we’ve heard it all. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of visitors we experience, tons of people are looking to book these events. Please understand that this is the only way we can control our crowds to minimize safety hazards and environmental damage. We do not pre-book any of our spots for public events, that’s just how fast people are to sign up from across the world!
My event was cancelled due to weather, will it be rebooked?
No. We rely on volunteers for our events so we cannot easily reschedule as people need time to clear their schedule for volunteering.
What does Kamaʻāina mean? / Why can only residents sign up for Kamaʻāina nights?
Our local residents, Kamaʻāina, often struggle to get a spot in our events due to the high volume of visitors we get. Our local community is very important to us, especially our keiki who will fill our shoes when we are gone. To support our local community and their ties to Mauna a Wākea, we offer one general public event (open to anyone from around the world) and one Kamaʻāina event (open only to those who have a valid HI state ID) every month we can.
Kamaʻāina events are being run on a trial basis at this time. These events may be indefinitely paused if we experience too many booking issues.
I am not a HI resident, but the only event available while I am here is a Kamaʻāina one, can I attend?
Unfortunately, no. Kamaʻāina events are for Kamaʻāina only. Anyone who does not have a HI state ID will be turned away upon check in, if not canceled before. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please check out our nightly activities instead.
I have a class I would like to bring up, can we get into the event?
We do not save or open up more spots for anyone in our public or Kamaʻāina events.
We host separate, private telescope events for educational groups of 10 - 45 people. This is not offered to families, only educational groups. We will require the name of your organization for the booking.
The VIS needs at least 1 month notice, but the earlier the better. Any requests that come in with less than 30 days notice will be denied.
If you would like to bring up an educational group, please fill out the Private Education Group Event Request form to request an event.
Policies
Repeat reservations cannot be made until three months after a previous reservation.
The VIS is on land that is managed by the University of Hawaiʻi (UH). To ensure the safety of all visitors and staff, there are a number of rules instituted by UH. These rules must be followed at all times. To see the full list of rules and regulations created by UH see the “Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules, Title 20, University of Hawaiʻi Subtitle 1, University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents Chapter 26 Public and Commercial Activities on Maunakea Lands.”
Medical Disclaimer
The Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station, colloquially known as the Maunakea Visitor Information Station or VIS, is located at ~9,200ft / ~2,800m above sea level in a very remote location. Conditions on Maunakea present a variety of risks to visitors.
Extreme weather conditions are common on the mountain and can create road hazards, limit visibility, and bring dangerously low temperatures, high winds, and heavy precipitation. Even on the clearest days, the steep and winding road can pose a challenge to vehicles and the high altitude puts a great deal of strain on the human body. There are inevitable environmental hazards present at this altitude including, but not limited to, altitude sickness, sunburn, severe weather, steep winding roads, loose rocks and rubble, possibility of sudden earthquakes, and cracks in the pavement.
Certain people are more at risk for developing altitude sickness, even at the VIS, such as pregnant women, children aged 13 and younger, and individuals with severe health problems including pulmonary and cardiac problems, high blood pressure, a severe overweight condition, or anyone who has gone scuba diving in the last 24 hours. It is important to pay attention to your body and be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness which include, severe headaches, shortness of breath, poor judgment, vomiting, breathing difficulties, coughing, blue lips or fingernails, disorientation, and extreme drowsiness. Should you experience any symptoms of altitude sickness the best remedy is to head back down to lower altitudes. If the symptoms progress to the point of impairment of driving, call 911 immediately and let the Muanakea rangers or VIS staff know if possible.
Should you need emergency services, keep in mind that emergency medical response time is at least 20 minutes, with a 45-minute ride to the nearest hospital.