... Consequently they have also become popular sites for large and sophisticated ground based telescopes . The peak of Mauna Kea , on the Big Island (upper left), boasts an impressive array of astronomical instruments including the Keck , the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope , the NASA IRTF , the JCMT and UKIRT , and the Gemini Telescope Project . The dormant volcanic cone of Haleakala on Maui (just below the Big Island) is home to the Air Force Maui Optical Station and the Mees Solar Observatory . ...