Monday 8 November 2010

An unusual Pacific view

The sun set some time ago and I was taking a couple of shots before heading back inside for the next 12 hours of observing. It wasn't obvious to the naked-eye at the time but when I looked at this picture I realised it was an unusual evening.

Keck 2 just starting to open, but that's normal. What wasn't usual was the view of Kohala, the oldest volcano on the island (it's about a million years old and as extinct as volcanoes on this island can be). It's just to the right and slightly below the Keck 2 dome and not normally visible in the evening due to low-level clouds.

Even more unusual, especially at that time of day, is the view of Maui and Haleakala volcano in the distance. I can't remember the last time the coastline of Maui was visible at sunset from the summit of Mauna Kea, but it is in this shot. Normally vog and low clouds prevent seeing Maui's shoreline in the evening but not this time.

Maui's coastline is most easily discernible to the left of the Keck dome. Click on the picture if you need to see a larger version!

1 comment:

Keera Ann Fox said...

Dang, I'm going to miss all your summit pictures. You're still discovering new stuff, and it's still all fascinating.