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News from Mount Wilson: Huell Howser featured Mount Wilson Observatory in a one-hour California's Gold special airing on Southern California PBS stations in June and July. Airtimes are: KCET, Los Angeles, Sunday, June 20 at 7 pm & Saturday, June 26 at 7 pm; KVIE, Sacramento, Thursday, July 1 at 8 pm; KVPT, Fresno, Thursday, July 1 at 8 pm & Sunday, July 18 at 7 pm; KVCR, San Bernardino, Thursday, July 1 at 8 pm. Don't miss it! Professor Charles Townes, leader of Berkeley's Infrared Spatial Interferometer on Mount Wilson and Nobel Laureate for his invention of the maser, reflects on the fiftieth anniversary of the laser. The Michelson Prize, a new award in the field of optical interferometry is being co-sponsered by the Mount Wilson Institute and the International Astronomical Union. New images from the CHARA Array showing the eclipse in the mysterious 27-year binary system epsilon Aurigae have been published in Nature. 2010 Mount Wilson Calendar is now available for on-line ordering 60-inch Telescope Model - Reserve one from a second edition
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Tours and Visiting Information | ||
| Historic Mount Wilson Observatory is an astronomical research facility located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. Located on the summit of Mount Wilson above Pasadena at an altitude of 5715 feet (1742 meters), the observatory is visible from much of the Los Angeles area. Visitors can view the historic Hooker 100-inch telescope from the Visitors' Gallery inside the dome. There is also a small Astronomical Museum on the observatory grounds. Picnic tables are available at the Pavilion near the main parking lot where a commanding view of the Los Angeles basin is seen on clear days. Note that due to continuing fire danger smoking is not permitted on the observatory grounds except inside closed vehicles. | ||
| Date and hours for visiting The observatory is open to visitors every day from 10 AM to 4 PM from April 1 through November 30, weather permitting. The gate into Skyline Park and the observatory's buildings are closed to the public the rest of the year (December 1 through March 31), although special group tours can still be requested (see below). The observatory may be closed at other times after heavy snowfalls, when dangerous icy conditions exist or during times of high fire danger. Please check here again just before your visit for the observatory's current visiting status. Food is available for purchase on the mountain only on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm at the Observatory's Cosmic Cafe located in the Pavilion overlooking the large parking lot at the entrance to the Observatory grounds. The Cosmic Cafe serves a variety of fresh-made sandwiches, hot and cold drinks and other treats as well as souvenirs. In addition to those whose intent is to visit Mount Wilson Observatory, hikers, motorcyclists, and bicyclists will find the Cosmic Cafe a welcome stop before returning from their venture into the San Gabriels. | ||
| Special Access Notice Access to Mount Wilson via the Angeles Crest Highway has been interrupted by road collapse as a result of the rains following the Station Fire in 2009. The road is not expected to reopen until sometime during the late summer of 2010. Access is now provided by an alternate route through a combination of Los Angeles County and Cal Trans roads starting at the Sunland Blvd exit of the I-210 Freeway. Here, you can download a map and turn-by-turn directions for this alternate route. Consult the Los Angeles County road information for their current status. Note that large portions of the Angeles National Forest within the Station Fire burn area remain closed in spite of the opening of the roads to allow passage through the Forest. Drivers are reminded to follow all posted Forest Closure signage while traveling to and from the Observatory. |
Free Weekend Walking Tours Walking tours of the observatory are led by docents provided by the Mount Wilson Observatory Association at 1 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, from the first weekend of April through the last weekend of November, weather permitting. Tours begin at the Pavilion above the large parking lot. | |
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Self-guided tour brochure and map Print your own brochure for a self-guided tour and map of Mount Wilson. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. | ||
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Specially-Arranged Group Tours Group tours are led by docents of the Mount Wilson Observatory Association. These group tours must be arranged in advance, and there is a modest per-person fee charged. More information is available here. Please contact Mr. Gale Gant for more details and a group tour request form. Group tours are held in the daytime only and do not include looking through a telescope. | ||
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Weather Weather conditions in the mountains can vary greatly and change suddenly. Be prepared for any weather conditions including snow and local dense fog. The weather is often much different on the mountain than in the city below. A live image from the observatory can be seen on the Towercam mounted at the top of the 150-foot solar tower telescope. The image is updated every four minutes and weather conditions are often posted on the Towercam page by the solar astronomers on duty. Remember that conditions on the mountain may change from what you see on the Towercam. | ||
Current conditions at the observatory
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Telescopes Public viewing through the 60-inch telescope is available to individuals and groups. Fee and scheduling information is available here. The observatory's other telescopes are dedicated to research only. Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles -- a landmark public observatory and planetarium since 1935 -- is available for free public viewing through telescopes. | ||
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Other activities on the mountain Hiking and cycling are popular activities on and around Mount Wilson. CORBA offers information about off-road cycling trails. The U.S. Forest Service can provide maps and information on hiking trails in the area. The mountain and surrounding areas are rugged and wild. Extreme care should be taken when venturing off the highway. |
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