Hi Deb I can walk out to the front walk of the house, look past the glare of the street light and see the Southern Cross standing upright and this is about 5AM. It gets to be alot better in the spring when the nights are warmer and the Crux is visible at 10PM and by mid summer we're chasing it to the horizon. Eta carina and Omega centauri are right there too. The Milky Way looks like a cloud in the night and at times I swear it's casting a shadow. The only light source that is a bother is from passing cars as they return from Hana (stops after 10PM) and a marine beacon at Cape Kumukahi on the Big Island about 70 miles or so away. We usually tune in a local station from Kona that plays Hawaiian music (slack key guitar!!), break out the vanilla macadamia coffee and some sweet treats and make a night of it. we are looking for a spot to make a permanant site where we can install a few piers and some facilities. The other spot we have is on Mt.Haleakala at the Kalahaku parking lot (9324') and I have made a place to install a pier there. It also has a rest facility that serves as a warming hut when it gets cool and breezy,no water or power though. Either place is great for southern skys. We were at Kalahaku when Mars made it's closest aproach, we had several scopes up there and about a dozen people turned up to see Mars. Our 1st unofficial star party of HAA (Haleakala Amateur Astronomers). Here's a photo of my friend and observing buddy Robert at the Kalahaku site just before sunset. aloha Rob