Sunday Road Trip: Mount Wilson Observatory

Mountain road trip time!  Took part in a field trip on Tuesday, September 18, taken by some of the volunteers at Monrovia Canyon Park.  The following photos are just a small portion of the things to see and do on Mount Wilson.

First things first:  The Welcome sign.

The 150 foot solar tower.  This tower has a webcam on top that displays a new image every 2 minutes.  The webcam can be viewed here: http://obs.astro.ucla.edu/towercam.htm#imagetop

The tower and the buildings were freshly painted before we arrived and looked great.

One of the 6 telescope enclosures that are part of the CHARA (Center For High Angular Resolution Astronomy) Array in the foreground with the 60-inch telescope beyond.  The 60-inch telescope is the world's largest telescope devoted exclusively to public viewing.  Public viewing info can be found here: http://www.mtwilson.edu/60in.php

The 100-inch telescope.

The inside of the 100-inch telescope building.  

"Island In The Sky" - One of the many incredible views from Mount Wilson.

The details:

-Mt. Wilson is open to the public daily from 10am to 5pm, March 30 through November 30.  Guided and special tours are also available.  There is a snack bar (Cosmic Cafe) open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm, March through November.  All this info and more can be found on the Mt. Wilson website at: http://www.mtwilson.edu/

-There is a museum featuring historical photos of the observatory and photos taken with the telescopes.  The museum also has a 256 seat auditorium

-Support the Mt. Wilson Observatory.  Information on future plans, goals and how you can help can be found here: http://www.mtwilson.edu/Support.php

Distance from Monrovia:  Approximately 34 miles.

Travel time: Approximately 55 minutes. Route is along Angeles Crest Highway so times could vary greatly.

Parking: Large parking lot normally open from 10am to 4pm.  This could change depending on weather or fire conditions.

Cost: National Forest Adventure Pass or Golden Age Passport is required.  They can be purchased for one day ($5.00) or a year ($30.00) at several locations, including the Cosmic Cafe when it is open.