During an eruption at Kīlauea volcano on the island of Hawaiʻi, we heard the roar of 1,470-foot-high lava fountains, felt the radiated heat on our faces, and stood agape as tephra (volcanic ejecta) fell around us.

Following my memorable after-dark experience on Mauna Kea Volcano in May 2025 (see post below), I returned two months later hoping to capture images and time-lapse video of both W.M. Keck Observatory telescopes’ lasers in action.

The summit area of Mauna Kea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi is considered sacred by many indigenous Hawaiians.