Waiting for sunset, Mauna Kea Summit, Big Island, Hawaii

13,796 feet above sea level

There's a tiny person up top

Giant telescope (I've forgotten the name of)

Tocha with his Mamiya RB67

More giant telescopes

The mountain cast a shadow in the sky.  How cool is that!

All images © 2012 Christine Han

I don't usually like group tours, but on the advice of a friend, we did the Mauna Kea Tour with Hawaii Forest and Trail to watch the sunset at the summit of the volcano and then star gaze as the guide explains everything you're seeing through the telescope.   It was worth every penny...possibly the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen, and you really feel like you're on top of the universe looking down at the clouds and peaks below you.  Awesome stuff. 

Tocha got some rad shots of the actual sunset.  I think I ran out of film or something like that (stupid!), but I'll post some of his photos because you just have to see how gorgeous it was.