Haleakala

Haleakala

Haleakala (Hawaiian: House of the Sun) is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. Haleakala has produced numerous eruptions in the last 30,000 years, including in the last 500 years with last eruption was more likely to have been in the 17th century. Surrounding and including the crater is Haleakala National Park, a 122.15 km2 park, of which 100.03 km2 are wilderness. Because of the remarkable clarity, dryness, and stillness of the air, and its elevation as well as the absence of the lights of major cities, the summit of Haleakala is one of the most sought-after locations in the world for ground-based telescopes. As a result of the geographic importance of this observational platform, experts come from all over the world to take part in research at "Science City", an astrophysical complex operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, University of Hawaii, Smithsonian Institution, Air Force, Federal Aviation Administration, and others.