Hawaii 2002

Hawai'i 8/21-9/1/02

I recently returned from the SPIE meeting held in Waikoloa, Hawai'i, on the Big Island (8/21-8/28/02). Here are some photos.... --Kimberly

Poster presentation of the AstroBiology Explorer (ABE), one of my projects at the moment, at SPIE Meeting.
Photo by my NASA Ames colleague Bill Ogilvie

Lava

8/26/02 Drake Deming (my old supervisor from my GSFC days) and I walked to see the Pu'u O'o lava flow at the Volcano National Park near Hilo, HI, which has been active since June 2002.

Big Island of Hawai'i

Here's a small collection of photos from the north Kohala coast (oldest bit of the island) and a trip to South point and the Green Sand (yes green!) Beach at the southernmost bit of the Island.

Mauna Kea Observatories

Of course, how could a trip to Hawai'i be complete without a visit to the summit of Mauna Kea to see the telescopes. My good friend Martina has been working on the Smithsonian Millimeter Array (SMA) for a few years now and she took me up to the summit to show me the toys she plays with. We also got the opportunity to see the rare silversword plant which survives surprisingly at high elevations >10,000 feet.

Historic Honolulu

I spent the weekend in Honolulu with my good friend Karen, and we took in some Hawai'ian history at the Iolani Palace. Honolulu is the state capital, located on the island of O'ahu (the Gathering Place). As a lover of heraldry, I could not resist taking photos of seals & flags in downtown historic Honolulu. The state seal and motto, 'Ua Mau Ke ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono,' which means "The life (sovereignty) of the lands perpetuated in (by) righteousness" hangs from the mauka (toward the mountains) and makai (toward the ocean) entrance to the state capitol, and is patterned after the royal coat of arms.

O'ahu from the air

One of the neatest things I have found with my new digital camera is the fun you can have taking photos from airplane windows. Here are some awesome shots of the O'ahu coastline as I headed home to California. You can see the famous white beaches & hi-rises of Waikiki and the sweeping volcanic craters and hills which remind you of Hawai'i's origin.

I hope you enjoyed my photos! -- Kimberly (9/16/02)