High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Haleakala High Altitude Observatory site, on the Island of Maui is the site of Hawaii`s first astronomical research observatory. At 10,000 feet (3,000 m) elevation, Haleakala is above one third of the Earth`s atmosphere. "Seeing" conditions on Haleakala can be as good as on Mauna Kea, a site recognized to have one of the best astronomical conditions for ground-based observatories.