This Image Shows The Central Region Of The Trifid Nebula Taken By The Gemini North 8-Meter Telescope On Mauna Kea June 5, 2002. Located In The Constellation Of Sagittarius, The Nebula Is A Much-Photographed, Dynamic Cloud Of Gas And Dust Where Stars Are Being Born. One Of The Massive Stars At The Nebula's Center Was Born Approximately 100,000 Years Ago. The Nebula's Distance From The Solar System Remains In Dispute, But It Is Generally Agreed To Be Somewhere Between 2,200 To 9,000 Light Years Away. - Gemini Observatory

As Halley's comet began its swing around the sun in the mid-1980s, Craig Nance "worked like a dog" at the local grocery store in Florida. He needed $1,200 to purchase a telescope.

Once the cosmic hype and reports of Halley's return became rentless, Nance pestered his mother for the money instead. Hesitant, she asked her teenage son, "Are you sure about this?"

When the comet blazed through the skies, it intrigued Nance, transforming him into a bedazzled earthbound stargazer. Nance has since shared his excitement.

Nine months ago, this W.M. Keck Observatory engineer helped start the West Hawaii Astronomy Club (WHAC), "a non-affliliated group of interested astronomy geeks" who discuss and observe "the wonders of the cosmos," according to their Web site.

On the second Tuesday each month, meetings are held at 7 p.m. at the Waimea W.M. Keck Observatory and Canada France Hawaii Telescope headquarters -- the club's sponsors.

Unofficially calling themselves "WHACos," most of the 45 members are astronomy enthusiasts. Few possess degrees in astronomy. However, some are professional astronomers and astrophotographers at the Mauna Kea observatories.

WHAC has three presidents: Nance, Craig Combes and Doug Summers. Its secretary is Laura Kraft, W.M. Keck Observatory spokeswoman. Membership is free. Tuesday evening, approximately 20 people attended, including Tim Lawrence, an electrical engineer from Johnson Space Center in Texas.

Scott Hartman rekindled his fondness for astronomy as a college student in 1985. While on vacation, he often admired the night sky, wondering about the cosmos.

Soon after, Hartman made his first discovery: a telescope abandoned in the trash. His devotion has not left since. Hartman is now a software engineer for W.M. Keck Observatory and a WHAC member.

Howard Yamasaki, on the other hand, fell in love with astronomy at the age of 10, when he could savor the wondrous beauty of the night sky over Waimea without light pollution. Today, this Kona coffee farmer belongs to WHAC and the Hilo Astronomy Club, which allows him to socialize and learn more about his hobby.

During "Gear Talk, Show and Tell," Yamasaki showcased his Orion MG 8 X 56 binoculars. For 15 years, he has used the binoculars because of the incredible clarity and light weight. Tuesday, he used them to impress stargazers.

WHAC observes in dark sky conditions at the Hale Pohaku visitor's center or at other locations as arranged during meetings. Nance admitted the nearby world-renowned observatories gives WHAC "some prestige."

"My friends in Florida refer to Mauna Kea as the 'holy grail of observatory,'" he said. "About 95 percent of the sky can be viewed from this one place. We're very fortunate to use its slopes."

WHAC is searching for a permanent West Hawaii site to hold star parties. So far, the club has run into problems with light pollution, public land access and proximity.

At the meetings, WHACos present informative talks about celestial bodies and the universe as a whole.

Nance showed an image shot by a Subaru Telescope photographer during the first weekend in June. It depicted Keck and Gemini observatories firing lasers at the same time. Several members remarked, "This is Star Wars."

Kraft spoke about "mighty" globular clusters, which are composed of billions of old stars orbiting distant galaxies. In our galaxy, she said clusters could be easily viewed, only requiring a telescope or binoculars and a dark sky.

"The Sky This Month" revealed Mercury in a three-planet grouping with Venus and Saturn. The best time to see Mars is 30 minutes to an hour before dawn, about 35 degrees above the southeast horizon. Venus is emerging into the evening sky.

"This is when we get a bunch of UFO calls," Kraft said. "Many people are fooled by this bright object."

On June 28, Kraft said stargazers can see the international space station in a 5-minute transit at a magnitude of .2 coming out of the horizon.

Throughout the meeting, several people discussed the Deep Impact mission, which will probe beneath a comet's surface and reveal the secrets of its interior. The impact is expected on July 3 at 7:52 p.m. Predictions about the results ranged from nothing to a brightening of a star.

"No one knows for sure what to expect," Nance said. "But I can assure you, whatever happens will be the talk of our next meeting."