I received this view along the length and breadth of the Milky Way Galactic Center in the summer of 2013, at the midway point of Mauna Kea on Hawai’i Island. The purpose of that day’s photography was to take test pictures, preparing for the Perseids Meteor Shower.

The Milky Way is comprised of a multitude of stars. The Sun which our Earth and the entire Solar System revolve around is just one of the stars which make up the Milky Way. From the surface of the Earth, the Milky Way looks like a river of faint milky-white light flowing across the night sky. However, in recent years, artificial light is increasing; in cities this light pollution makes it difficult to see the Milky Way. The summit of Mauna Kea is one of the few places in the world without light pollution. As a suitable location for astronomical observations, various countries build telescopes here. NAOJ’s Subaru Telescope, also on the summit of Mauna Kea, conducts observations every night.

The paved road extends halfway up the slope of Mauna Kea to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station, the location where this picture was taken. Ordinary people and tours have easy access. It is a recommended sightseeing spot when visiting Hawai’i Island. You can enjoy the night sky with good clarity and no light pollution, in a way that it can’t be seen from cities.

(Author: Shogo Nagayama)