000 feet above sea level， it is also the home of the world's largest astronomical observatory. At an elevation of nearly 14， yes，。
the observatory is above 40% of Earth's atmosphere. The atmosphere above the mountain is extremely dry and almost cloud-free. This makes it an ideal location for an observatory. And， Astronomical Observatories on Mauna Kea: The summit of Mauna Kea holds other distinctions. In addition to being the summit of the world's "tallest" mountain， that is snow on the ground in Hawaii - the altitude is high enough and cold enough to accumulate snow. Photo copyright iStockphoto / GeorgeBurba. 。