In the morning twilight on of the twin Keck telescopes beams laser to the atmosphere for adaptive optics operation. Located near the 4205m (13800ft) summit of Mauna Kea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the observatory is recognized as one of the world's premier astronomical research facilities. Hawaii's isolation in the mid-Pacific Ocean and the high elevation of Maunakea makes it one of the best locations on Earth for astronomical observations.