The KEASA observatory is located near Barking Sands Beach on the west side of the island of Kaua`i.
Latitude 21° 59' N
Longitude 159° 45' W
Altitude 3 meters
The observatory is a joint venture between the Kauai Educational Association for Science and Astronomy and Kauai Community College (KCC). The main buidling was constructed in 1990. The roof rolls on and off quite easily with a manual or electric winch. There are three piers on a raised desk each with an instrument suite. See images to the right and below for details on the instruments. East of the main building are a 10 ft diameter Ash Dome and a Sky Shed Pod.
In the background is the raised deck. The foreground contains a classroom and meeting space. A warm room is not needed as the annual temperatures stay between 60° and 90°F.
Left - 17-inch PlaneWave Instruments Corrected Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain telescope atop a Software Bisque Paramount MEII German equitorial mount with a Televue NP101 guide scope. These instrunment are from Dr. Robert Byer, Stanford University Physics Department.
Right - 12.5-inch f/9 Ritchey-Chrétien with an APM 125mm refractor on an Astro-Physics 1200 German equitorial mount. Instrument owned by CDR Tom Ellis, USN (Ret.)
Left - Astrotech 8-inch f/8 Ritchey-Chrétien with a Stellarvue 70mm f/6 Apo refractor on a Software Bisque Paramount MyT German Equitorial mount. Instrument owned by Dr. James Dire.
A concrete slab on the east side of the building provides ample space for telescopes to be set up outdoors. Plus in 2011, KEASA acquired a POD observatory. The POD is also visible in the background of the top image on this page. Also visible in the background of that image is the Kaua`i Community College observatory located on the same site.