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What can you see from Mauna Kea Hawaii?

Hawaii's sacred white mountain hosts world's greatest telescopes.

19.8226, -155.4694 · 4,213 m · United States Copernicus GLO-30 · 2,471,858 terrain samples
335 kmMaximum visible distance
226 kmAverage visible distance
4,213 mObserver elevation
460Named features in view

From Mauna Kea Hawaii, the terrain-limited line of sight reaches up to 335 km. The single farthest piece of visible terrain lies 335 km to the northwest (bearing 304°), at 1,229 m elevation. These results account for Earth's curvature and standard atmospheric refraction, computed from 30-meter resolution Copernicus GLO-30 elevation data across 2,471,858 terrain samples.

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Visibility by direction

The horizon is most open toward the west-northwest, where sightlines run 252 km on average; terrain closes the view down fastest to the south-southwest, at 69.9 km.

Visible distance by compass direction from Mauna Kea Hawaii
Visible distance by compass direction from Mauna Kea Hawaii — outer ring ≈ 335 km.
N248 km
NNE248 km
NE248 km
ENE248 km
E248 km
ESE248 km
SE248 km
SSE226 km
S156 km
SSW69.9 km
SW248 km
WSW248 km
W248 km
WNW252 km
NW188 km
NNW231 km

Farthest named landmarks in view

460 named peaks, hills and headlands stand inside this viewshed. These are the farthest ones you could pick out on a clear day:

LandmarkVisible distanceDirectionElevation
Ka‘ala335 kmNW · 304°1,229 m
Kamaohanui335 kmNW · 305°1,024 m
Pu‘ukalena333 kmNW · 304°1,055 m
Pu‘ukūmakali‘i332 kmNW · 304°878 m
Pu‘uhapapa329 kmNW · 304°877 m
Pu‘ukanehoa328 kmNW · 304°803 m

About Mauna Kea Hawaii

Mauna Kea rises 4,207 meters on Hawaii's Big Island as a dormant shield volcano. Its summit hosts thirteen major telescopes funded by eleven nations, making it one of Earth's premier astronomical observation sites. Last eruption occurred 4,000 to 6,000 years ago.

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Frequently asked questions

How far can you see from Mauna Kea Hawaii?

On a clear day the terrain allows a line of sight of up to 335 km from Mauna Kea Hawaii. The average visible distance across all 360 directions is 226 km. Atmospheric conditions (haze, humidity) usually reduce practical visibility below the terrain-limited maximum.

What is the farthest point visible from Mauna Kea Hawaii?

The farthest terrain visible from Mauna Kea Hawaii lies 335 km to the northwest, at an elevation of 1,229 m. Earth's curvature and atmospheric refraction are accounted for in this calculation.

How high is Mauna Kea Hawaii?

The observation point at Mauna Kea Hawaii sits at 4,213 m above sea level (Copernicus GLO-30 elevation model).

How is this visibility map calculated?

UpToWhere traces lines of sight in 360 directions from the observer using 30 m-resolution Copernicus terrain data, correcting for Earth curvature and standard atmospheric refraction. You can run the same analysis for any point on Earth with the free calculator.

Run your own analysis

Want to know what you can see from your house, a summit you're planning to climb, or a plot of land? UpToWhere computes the same 360° viewshed for any point on Earth in seconds — free.

Try the viewshed calculator

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