Eddie Mahoney
Hawaii Solar System Ambassador

In 1957 at age 7, Edward watched Sputnik pass overhead and fell in love with space. His tree house became an observatory, and his first telescope was an army surplus 10-x tank's spotting scope with gray, red and yellow filters. Edward's first launch in 1958 was a helium balloon, aluminum foil covered cardboard tube with his return address that has yet to be returned. As a child, Edward was inspired by Mr. Wizard on TV and developed a great appreciation for science and experimentation in the quest for truth. As a special education teacher Edward often used NASA and JPL supplied materials to excite and inspire students to reach for the stars. In 1988, while teaching on the Big Island of Hawaii, his wife noted an ad that the new Hyatt resort was looking for a hotel director of Astronomy. He laughed and reminded her that Mauna Kea is home to some of the world's greatest telescopes and that Hawaii Island has many Ph D. level Astronomers and Cosmologists. She suggested that he go for the interview experience and they could have a nice lunch. Edward went for the fun of it and told the recruiters how the early Hawaiians used the stars to navigate and got the job.

Today Edward is the Director of Astronomy for the Hyatt Regency Maui where the rooftop Observatory includes 8", 12" and 16 " reflectors, 20 and 30 X 80 binoculars and is enjoyed by more than 6000 guests a year. Local school children enjoy evening star gazing field trips and many boy scouts have earned their Astronomy merit badges atop the Hyatt under Edward's tutelage.