It's not the usual Hawaii attraction, but that's what makes it special. At the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, visitors can take a walk across the rooftop to a little corner set up with three large telescopes. It's the location of the resort's Tour of the Stars astronomy program, which guests and nonguests alike may book through the resort's concierge.
Far above the lights emanating along Kaanapali Beach, Edward Mahoney, the director of astronomy at the Hyatt Regency Maui, leads the nightly family-friendly tours every hour from 8 to 11.
The nightly program, Tour of the Stars, at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, is led by Edward Mahoney, the resort’s director of astronomy. Photo Credit: Kristina Wheeless/Fernweh Travel Company LLC
"Our Lahaina Tower rooftop observatory is the best place to view the heavens without bright lights interfering," Mahoney said. "It is designed for the safety and comfort of our guests."
Mahoney holds master's degrees in science and education and was a Solar System Ambassador with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for 20 years. "I started as the director of astronomy at the Hyatt Regency Waikoloa on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1989 until 1991 and have been the director of astronomy at the Hyatt Regency Maui for the last 24 years," he said.
Using a computer, Mahoney aligns the 14-inch reflector Celestron telescopes with an object in the sky, whether it be a star, planet or galaxy, giving visitors a quick astronomy lesson on what they're viewing. Mahoney also talks about Hawaiian traditions, such as how voyagers used the stars for navigating across the ocean.
Everyone gets a chance to look through each telescope to see the object up close. For some, it may be their first time seeing the night sky in this way. "So many of our guests come from big cities where they don't get to see the stars anymore," Mahoney said. "It is a joy for me to reconnect them with the universe."