I’ve only been to the observatory area of Mauna Loa once, on a bus tour, but there was no opportunity to get inside any of the observatories. I’ve been very interested in stars, the universe and astronomy for fourty years, but the biggest telescope I’ve ever had an opportunity to look through was a poorly ground 7-inch refractor. My own telescope is only a 3-inch reflector … better than nothing but definitely not a Keck! For me it would be just as interesting helping an ‘actual’ astronomer and visiting with him or her as it would be to look at the stars through one of the giant telescopes.