Catch the Stars at Palomar Observatory
By night, Palomar Observatory is home to a wide variety of astronomical research operated by the California institute of Technology. By day, it’s open to visitors like us. The star of the observatory is the 200-inch Hale Telescope. This telescope was the world’s largest effective telescope for 45 years (1948-1993). The tour of the observatory cost $8 per person, so we did the math and figured $32 for our family to learn about a telescope was probably not a great investment. We decided it would have been worthwhile for just an adult to do it because it did sound interesting, but that’s hard to swing on a family vacation, so we all headed for the free viewing area. From this gallery, you can look at the Hale Telescope through glass. Of course, there is no viewing through the Hale Telescope for anyone, no matter how much you pay for admission! In the free visitor’s area, there are exhibits of astronomical photographs, a touchscreen computer which teaches more about the observatory, long benches to relax on, and clean bathrooms which of course, when you’re camping, are much appreciated. On the Palomar Observatory website, there’s a free podcast to listen to – it’s a 10 minute self-guided tour. If we would have planned it better, that would have been cool to have on our iPod during our visit. For details, go to http://www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/visiting.html We did it the old fashioned way. My son Ethan asked me to read the copy on the wall and I’m really glad I did. I learned that the finished dome was 135 feet tall and 137 feet in diameter and it was a coincidence that these dimensions are similar to the Pantheon in Rome. Since I’ve never been to Rome, I could pretend! Also, you know that Pyrex bowl you have in your kitchen? We learned that you might be able to use it to see the stars. See, when mirror casters were unable to make a 200 inch mirror for the telescope, Hale (the telescope's creator) went to Corning, the maker of Pyrex, to ask if they could make the mirror. At the time, Pyrex was a new glass blend that didn’t expand and contract in changing temperatures as much as ordinary glass. Corning learned how to cast molten Pyrex with the right smoothness, and after two tries, Corning made the mirror for the telescope! We enjoyed our visit to the observatory. It was convenient, cool, and interesting. Would I drive more than 30 minutes to see it? Probably not. But if you have someone in your family who loves astronomy, then it would definitely be worth it and probably worth the $8 tour too. The observatory is open daily except December 24 and 25. You can visit from 9 am to 3 pm when California is on Standard Time and from 9 am to 4 pm during Daylight Savings Time. Handicapped access is available to the 200-inch dome at these times: 9:30 am, 1 pm, and 2:30 pm. They also have a nice gift shop, but it's usually only open on Saturdays and Sundays, except from mid June through Labor Day when it's open daily. For a recording of more information, call (760) 742-2119. |
