Just below the support complex, a Visitor Information Station at , has its own parking lot for visitors. The VIS houses informational displays, and shows videos depicting the history and work of the observatories, as well as the geology, ecology and cultural significance of Mauna Kea. Every evening it hosts a stargazing program in which several small telescopes, up to 16 inches in diameter, are set up outside the building and visitors are shown various planets, star clusters, galaxies, nebulae and other interesting features of the night sky. A VIS staff member or volunteer usually presents a star and constellation tour, using a small laser to point out features in the sky. Amateur astronomers also come here to set up their own telescopes, since the altitude is already high enough for the seeing to be much better than at lower elevations.