Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea is the largest mountain in the world, if measured from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. In the winter, its peaks become snowcapped. It is an extinct volcano, with a height of 13784 feet from sea level. children under 11, and the elderly are not advised to venture to the summit, because of the thin air. The scientists who work there at the observatories are acclimatized and live at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, which is about half the way up Mauna Kea. Here, visitors can take 4-wheel-drive vehicles to the Mauna Kea Observatories Visitors Center. Here, visitors can learn about the observatories and view the night sky.