Led by an Analog-Astronaut and Pro Astro-Photographer, we are the only stargazing company that avoids the bright moon and hand-selects time slots and spots for optimal stargazing views.
The tour comes in 3 parts:
First:
Your guide will point out celestial objects and constellations with a powerful green laser pointer, talk about his time as an Analog-Astronaut and more.
Second:
View live details of deep space using a sophisticated, light-sensitive camera and telescope. Look at epic views of deep space objects like Galaxies and Nebulas that you didn't know was possible.
Third:
Your Astro-Photographer guide will take a few stellar photos of you with the Milky Way.
All medium resolution photos taken throughout the trip are included in the price.
-High Resolution upgrades are available.
Stargazing locations vary each night depending on clouds and crowds. We stargaze on the slopes of Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa, whichever spot has the best conditions.
Posted By : Mohammedyu
We met our guide, James, near the stargazing spot. Others came in the guide's van, I guess because they were coming from other areas on the Big Island. The starting time for the tour can change last minute, depending on the clarity of the sky, clouds, the status of the moon etc. I originally booked for 9 pm, then was told the tour would start at 7 pm and then later at 8 pm. I didn't mind the last minute changes, as I understood this was because of the viewing conditions.
The tour begins with an explanation about the night sky and stars. After that, James set up a telescope type rig that showed various constellations and nebulae. I actually did not get a chance to look as I had set up my own rig to take milky way pictures. My wife found the talk and telescope interesting. The last part of the tour James took pictures of couples and families with the milky way in the background. Low-res photos (2-3 MB) can be downloaded for free, hi-res photos can be bought separately.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time as I was basically able to take advantage of the dark spot that James had found to take amazing pictures of the night sky. If you are not a big star gazing fan and not into night photography, I am not sure if this tour would be attractive, especially at the substantial price being charged. Other tour companies charge a bit more (around USD 300) for the 7-8 hour tour up to Mauna Kea to see the sunset and which also includes a short star gazing session (which is not as good as the Epic Tours one). If you are interested more in Mauna Kea and seeing the sunset above the clouds, then I would go with other tours. If your focus is on stars, astronomy and night photos, then this is the only game in town.
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Posted On : 2023-12-16 03:43:29 
Posted By : Allison_V
James has such phenomenal knowledge of astronomy, and it was cool to see the stars other phenomena zoomed in thanks to his camera technology. He was welcoming and truly passionate about his NASA knowledge. Great spot to see the heavens!
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Posted On : 2023-12-15 19:51:56 
Posted By : 919greggr
James was a fabulous guide who took to a site on Mauna Kea that had no other tourists and provided an amazing view of the heavens. His use of a digital camera instead of a telescope is genius. His equipment was able to show stars, galaxies and even faint nebula. He uses his observational knowledge to find interesting objects to view, rather than relying on GoTo technology. Best of all, he takes amazing photos of you with the Milky Way hovering above. Really an outstanding tour that you should not miss when on the Big Island.
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Posted On : 2023-12-13 13:01:51
Posted By : Ken_M
The amount of stars you can see during this experience was insane. You will not see more stars anywhere else. You can tell James loves what he does and has endless knowledge.
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Posted On : 2023-11-08 13:33:19
Posted By : 310ambero
I would recommend it to anyone interested in the stars. James was very informative. I loved seeing the images with the camera rather than the telescope. It was so much easier to see, and we got to keep the photos taken the night of our tour, plus see others that James has captured over the years. Another reviewer recommended wearing a bright color for the photo. We did, and I like how it turned out. Also, I appreciated how well James communicated with us about the location and meeting time on the day of the tour.
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Posted On : 2023-11-07 13:35:27
Posted By : Nathan_L
James was a great resource of info during our stargazing trip and provided clear instructions of when and where to meet. The trip was educational, adventurous, safe, and visually stunning. James has an encyclopedic knowledge of the skies and his photography skills are outstanding.
I’ve already recommended this trip to friends and family.
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Posted On : 2023-11-05 16:29:58
Posted By : ana_md123
This was one of our favorite activities. Our tour guide James was very knowledgable, patient, and you can tell how passionate he is about what he does. The sky was incredible. We were able to get beautiful pictures at the end. It was a small group which was nice. We were provided with parka jackets, but it does get cold so would definitely recommend dressing warm.
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Posted On : 2023-11-04 21:50:21
Posted By : Kim_S
James finding galaxies and nebulas with his advanced photo gear was amazing. His perspective was so interesting. He’s so knowledge and easy to listen to. He took his time with taking pictures, answering questions. Saw more stars than we’ve ever seen before!
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Posted On : 2023-10-19 15:12:29
Posted By : michellewV1869LG
James was the BEST tour guide you can get! The experience was MAGICAL! My husband and I were amazed and James had superior communication right from the initial booking. He was so informative and friendly. Coats, blankets and chairs were provided and he truly had a passion for his skill. This was WELL WORTH the price and much more. This was truly a bucket list experience and James made it so much better than expected- he truly made the experience come alive
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Posted On : 2023-10-16 01:17:05
Posted By : JenniferBeth_G
Great experience! A little rough that it was so late (especially 4 hour time difference) but worth it.
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Posted On : 2023-10-12 17:44:12
