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Date: 21 Aug 2006 00:01:48
From: Florian
Subject: Mauna Kea video
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I visited Mauna Kea (Hawai'i) this week with my family. It's an amazing =
place. I made this video on Friday, 8/18/2006...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3D-2727870779412605872
The night before i made the video i did a bit of stargazing from the =
visitor center with 10x42 binoculars.
.Florian
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 00:22:36
From: Phil Wheeler
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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Florian wrote:
> I visited Mauna Kea (Hawai'i) this week with my family. It's an amazing place. I made this video on Friday, 8/18/2006...
>
> http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2727870779412605872
>
> The night before i made the video i did a bit of stargazing from the visitor center with 10x42 binoculars.
>
Pretty cool, Florian. Too bad you couldn't bring
one of the "smaller" domes home with you ;)
What were you able to see from there with the
10x42s .. as compared to out at Cottonwood, for
example?
Phil
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 01:04:35
From: Florian
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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>What were you able to see from there with the=20
>10x42s .. as compared to out at Cottonwood, for=20
>example?
My observing was pretty casual. I did have a sweatshirt but it was =
chilly. I mostly just stood next to my little rental car (a Dodge Neon) =
and looked around. I was there from about 10pm to 11pm before i drove =
back down to Hilo. From where i was observing just above the visitor =
center there where no light domes visible in any direction. From =
Cottonwood the Coachella valley and Mexicali light domes are quite =
bright. I plan to return to Mauna Kea sometime maybe in March or April =
with my TV76. I really want to see the winter sky and southern cross =
from this dark site. I did see Alpha Centauri from Waikiki earlier in =
the week! ;-)
Regarding Waikiki... I could see brighter areas of the Milky Way from =
Waikiki beach! I guess it makes a difference to be surrounded by =
thousands of miles of dark ocean!!
.Florian
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 00:23:50
From: Richard Adams
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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Florian wrote:
>>What were you able to see from there with the
>>10x42s .. as compared to out at Cottonwood, for
>>example?
>
>
>
>
> My observing was pretty casual. I did have a sweatshirt but it was chilly. I mostly just stood next to my little rental car (a Dodge Neon) and looked around. I was there from about 10pm to 11pm before i drove back down to Hilo. From where i was observing just above the visitor center there where no light domes visible in any direction. From Cottonwood the Coachella valley and Mexicali light domes are quite bright. I plan to return to Mauna Kea sometime maybe in March or April with my TV76. I really want to see the winter sky and southern cross from this dark site. I did see Alpha Centauri from Waikiki earlier in the week! ;-)
>
> Regarding Waikiki... I could see brighter areas of the Milky Way from Waikiki beach! I guess it makes a difference to be surrounded by thousands of miles of dark ocean!!
>
>
> .Florian
>
>
If you can put up with the cold, I highly recommend Grand Canyon, South
Rim, Mather Point. I set up shop there several years ago with a couple
cameras in the parking lot and at a couple overlooks (near the
ampitheatre, if I recall correctly) Not heavily visited in late
November, a tad cold, but stunning views.
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 16:48:02
From: London England
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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"Florian" <star6@TheDesertSon.com > wrote in message
news:MJ6Gg.1617$YC3.1210@tornado.socal.rr.com...
I visited Mauna Kea (Hawai'i) this week with my family. It's an amazing
place. I made this video on Friday, 8/18/2006...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2727870779412605872
The night before i made the video i did a bit of stargazing from the visitor
center with 10x42 binoculars.
.Florian
Is it that easy for terrorists to go there and decide to pull the plug?
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 09:54:10
From: Martin R. Howell
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 16:48:02 GMT, London England wrote:
> Is it that easy for terrorists to go there and decide to pull the plug?
Is it that hard for you to not interject off-topic replies?
--
Martin R. Howell
"The Astro Post"
www.theastropost.com
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 02:10:02
From: Florian
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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I have some more images from Mauna Kea on my Hawaiian photo album. The =
telescope pictures are on page 11 and 12...
http://www.pbase.com/fboyd/hawaii_2006&page=3D11
If you're interested feel free to browse the entire gallery but they are =
mostly just family vacation pics. If you're really interested you can =
read my blog for other trip notes...
http://www.stargazing.com/blog2006.html
.Florian
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 02:09:20
From: Florian
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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>Is it that easy for terrorists to go there and decide to pull the plug? =
I guess it is that easy. The road to the peak is open 24 hours a day.
.Florian
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 03:44:25
From: London England
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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"Florian" <star6@TheDesertSon.com > wrote in message
news:kHtGg.2214$Cs3.1326@tornado.socal.rr.com...
>Is it that easy for terrorists to go there and decide to pull the plug?
I guess it is that easy. The road to the peak is open 24 hours a day.
.Florian
I'm amazed that it's not guarded by paid guided "hikes" or access only.
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 20:56:03
From: Starlord
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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One thing about one of the roads over the island, it's so rough and hard on
the cars, that most of the car rental places will not let you take that
road. I've not been there, but I used to talk to people on Oahu who'd been
there and had to get a rental car from the one place that rented jeeps and
such for the trip. Now it might have been worked over since I left, but I
don't know for sure.
Besides, what terrorist would even want to do anything away up there?
--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond
Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Sidewalk Astronomy
www.sidewalkastronomy.info
Astronomy Net Online Gift Shop
http://www.cafepress.com/astronomy_net
In Garden Online Gift Shop
http://www.cafepress.com/ingarden
Blast Off Online Gift Shop
http://www.cafepress.com/starlords
Astro Blog
http://starlord.bloggerteam.com/
"London England" <LondonE@telusplanet.net > wrote in message
news:t4vGg.9960$395.992@edtnps90...
>
> "Florian" <star6@TheDesertSon.com> wrote in message
> news:kHtGg.2214$Cs3.1326@tornado.socal.rr.com...
>>Is it that easy for terrorists to go there and decide to pull the plug?
>
>
> I guess it is that easy. The road to the peak is open 24 hours a day.
>
> .Florian
>
> I'm amazed that it's not guarded by paid guided "hikes" or access only.
>
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 14:10:45
From: Florian
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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>One thing about one of the roads over the island, it's so rough and =
hard on=20
>the cars, that most of the car rental places will not let you take that =
>road.
The Saddle road between Hilo and Kona used to be closed to rental cars. =
But it seems to have been upgraded in recent years. It's a good two lane =
paved road now.
.Florian
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 15:52:16
From: London England
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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"Florian" <star6@TheDesertSon.com > wrote in message
news:FfEGg.2232$Cs3.419@tornado.socal.rr.com...
>One thing about one of the roads over the island, it's so rough and hard on
>the cars, that most of the car rental places will not let you take that
>road.
The Saddle road between Hilo and Kona used to be closed to rental cars. But
it seems to have been upgraded in recent years. It's a good two lane paved
road now.
.Florian
Ahh yes, the Hilo Kilo...
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 23:33:25
From: Sjouke Burry
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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Starlord wrote:
> One thing about one of the roads over the island, it's so rough and hard on
> the cars, that most of the car rental places will not let you take that
> road. I've not been there, but I used to talk to people on Oahu who'd been
> there and had to get a rental car from the one place that rented jeeps and
> such for the trip. Now it might have been worked over since I left, but I
> don't know for sure.
>
>
> Besides, what terrorist would even want to do anything away up there?
>
>
I drove up that mountian, and it was no trouble at all.
I went up during rain, half way it changed to
fog/rain, and then you suddenly came out above
the clouds . An amazing trip.
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 21:38:05
From: Phil Wheeler
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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Sjouke Burry wrote:
> Starlord wrote:
>> One thing about one of the roads over the island, it's so rough and
>> hard on the cars, that most of the car rental places will not let you
>> take that road. I've not been there, but I used to talk to people on
>> Oahu who'd been there and had to get a rental car from the one place
>> that rented jeeps and such for the trip. Now it might have been worked
>> over since I left, but I don't know for sure.
>>
>>
>> Besides, what terrorist would even want to do anything away up there?
>>
>>
> I drove up that mountian, and it was no trouble at all.
> I went up during rain, half way it changed to
> fog/rain, and then you suddenly came out above
> the clouds . An amazing trip.
I suspect, with all the observatories up there,
the roads now have a high maintenance priority.
Phil
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Date: 23 Aug 2006 00:24:05
From: Florian
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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>I suspect, with all the observatories up there,=20
>the roads now have a high maintenance priority.
Yes, you're probably right. But i am a bit puzzled why there is a five =
mile section still dirt/gravel just past the visitor center. Maybe it's =
too steep to pave. The asphalt might not stick. After that stretch it's =
good smooth two lane paved again all the way to the top.
The car we rented was from Dollar rental car. I just received a =
handwritten postcard in the mail today thanking me for renting a car =
from them in Hilo! I've never received a personal thank you note from a =
car rental company before!! (I guess they didn't notice i scraped the =
bottom on the road to south point.) If you're going to Hilo i recommend =
Dollar! ;-)
.Florian
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Date: 23 Aug 2006 00:29:10
From: Phil Wheeler
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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Florian wrote:
>> I suspect, with all the observatories up
>> there, the roads now have a high maintenance
>> priority.
>
>
> Yes, you're probably right. But i am a bit
> puzzled why there is a five mile section still
> dirt/gravel just past the visitor center. Maybe
> it's too steep to pave. The asphalt might not
> stick. After that stretch it's good smooth two
> lane paved again all the way to the top.
>
Maybe it is to discourage the faint-of-heart
before they got too far along the road ;)
Phil
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Date: 23 Aug 2006 09:35:22
From: William C. Keel
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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Phil Wheeler <wt6uh-ng7@yahoo.com > wrote:
> Sjouke Burry wrote:
>> Starlord wrote:
>>> One thing about one of the roads over the island, it's so rough and
>>> hard on the cars, that most of the car rental places will not let you
>>> take that road. I've not been there, but I used to talk to people on
>>> Oahu who'd been there and had to get a rental car from the one place
>>> that rented jeeps and such for the trip. Now it might have been worked
>>> over since I left, but I don't know for sure.
>>>
>>>
>>> Besides, what terrorist would even want to do anything away up there?
>>>
>>>
>> I drove up that mountian, and it was no trouble at all.
>> I went up during rain, half way it changed to
>> fog/rain, and then you suddenly came out above
>> the clouds . An amazing trip.
> I suspect, with all the observatories up there,
> the roads now have a high maintenance priority.
At time, some of the UH folks have claimed that leaving a stretch
of the Mauna Kea summit road graded but unpaved helped reduce the number of
casual tourists, which in turn may reduce the number of accidents
on the road (and certainly seems to help with the number of
visitors that telescope support people feel honor-bound to
help tow out of the snow). Not much way to test this theory,
of course, given the correlation between where people want to
go and where the roads are.
During major construction, they have to regrade that bit of road
more or less weekly. Washboarding develops with stunning speed
when there are lots of heavy trucks (and for that matter,
most observatory traffic is in things like jeeps and Suburbans.)
I'll leave out which facility director said that yes, it was
observatory policy to ignore those perpetual red warning lights
on the dashboard.
Bill Keel
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 04:01:42
From: Florian
Subject: Re: Mauna Kea video
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>I'm amazed that it's not guarded by paid guided "hikes" or access only. =
You can hike for free and drive to the top for free. You don't even have =
to stop at the visitor center on your way if you don't want to.
.Florian
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