All, As you have become aware, Rob Ratkowski and I are planning a trip to the Hawaiian Islands to visit the *Haleakala Observatories* on Maui and the *Mauna Kea Observatories *on the Big island. Too get you further excited, I am attaching a photo of the Faulkes Telescope* on Maui. Rob and I have a few questions that we need answered before we can go any further with our planning. 1 - When do we go? Any time is a wonderful time to go, but for the best chance of clear skies and low winds, mid-spring on into early winter may be best. And off season would be the least expensive way to go, which means we don't go when it is 10 degrees here. Rob has some suggestions: Spring 2008 (May specifically for their Astronomy Day festivities), Nov 2007 for the lunar eclipse, and 2012 is Venus transit and Hawaii is fantastically placed. What are your thoughts? 2 - How many will be going? We need a rough estimate so we can plan plane reservations and accommodations. Also, I know many would like to bring family members, so we need to know if these family members would also like to view the observatories. The observatories can easily accommodate 20-30, but more people than that would require several visits with us taking turns. 3 - The Big Island and Maui are a given. Should we also schedule a trip to Oahu while we are there? The two islands with the observatories and all the other things those islands have to offer will easily fill a week. Oahu would be a brief layover. We can do it, but should that be an optional trip? Get back to Rob and I, either on our e-mails or through the list serve, ASAP with your thoughts so we can start putting this together, giving you an itinerary and prices. -A