The Four Seasons Resort Lanai has opened a new observatory housing a 40-inch telescope that will be home to astronomy programming.
The Kilo Hoku Experience led by cultural practitioner Anela Evans includes stories about the stars and night sky that Hawaiians shared, a chance for guests to peer through the telescope and gaze at celestial bodies and details of how Hawaiian and ancient Polynesians used the stars and elements of the natural environment to navigate the open ocean.
The two-story observatory is topped with a 25-foot-diameter dome, and various planets, stars, galaxies and nebulae are visible through the telescope, which is more than 11 feet tall and weighs roughly 3,000 pounds.
There are plans to host special programming at the observatory including presentations from the Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii.
Each session lasts one hour, and the timing of the program will change throughout the year to adjust for sunset and optimal visibility.
The Kilo Hoku Experience costs $35 for adults teens and $17.50 for children ages 4 to 12, who must be accompanied by an adult.