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Stargazing from Hawaii

On top of a dormant volcano, the Keck Observatory in Hawaii looks down on the clouds.

In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hawai’i Island is surrounded by thousands of miles of thermally stable seas. The 13,796-foot Mauna Kea summit has no nearby mountain ranges to roil the upper atmosphere. Few city lights pollute Hawaiian night skies, and for most of the year, the atmosphere above Mauna Kea is clear, calm and dry. (keckobservatory.org)

Enter the Keck Zen Den and get a peek of life on the peak.