USA: Five star-spangled views

Mauna Kea Observatory on Hawaii's Big Island. Photo / Thinkstock

Gaze skywards at one of these five cracking American observatories.

Big skies in Hawaii

You'll find Mauna Kea Observatory on Hawaii's Big Island, on the top of the inactive Mauna Kea volcano. The observatory soars above 40 per cent of Earth's atmosphere. There is minimal light pollution and it houses the world's largest array of optical, infrared, and submillimetre astronomical equipment. You need a 4WD to get to the 4200m summit, which is worth the visit for the views, but the private facility is not open to the public. If you want to stargaze, do so at night at the information station at 2900m.

First lights in Wisconsin

Yerkes Observatory dates back to 1987 when George Ellery Hale founded the observatory, often billed as "the birthplace of modern astrophysics". It sits at 334m at Williams Bay, Wisconsin. Financier Charles Yerkes initially paid for one telescope but was persuaded by Hale and the University of Chicago to fund the observatory. On Saturday, the Yerkes is open for free public tours and visitors can marvel at the 30m dome which houses the famed 101cm Refractor, the world's biggest lens-type telescope.

Stars in California

The Art Deco-style Griffith Observatory on Mt Hollywood is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles, offering grand views of the Los Angeles Basin and Pacific Ocean. And being so close to Hollywood, it also has down-to-Earth stargazing connections. Many movies, music videos and television shows have been shot here, including James Dean's Rebel Without a Cause. Admission is free (it's closed on Mondays).

Southern California's also home to the California Institute of Technology-operated Palomar Observatory. Every year tens of thousands of visitors file in to see the famous 5.1m Hale Telescope, for decades the largest effective telescope in operation.

Discoveries in Arizona

Arizona's Lowell Observatory has completed the Discovery Channel Telescope after a decade of planning and construction. It is the fifth largest telescope in mainland United States and one of the most technologically advanced. Lowell is open most days.

Further information: See DiscoverAmerica.com.