PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THE TERMS & CONDITIONS SECTION OF THIS PAGE, BELOW.
By purchasing a ticket to an observing session at the Mount Wilson Telescope(s), the purchaser agrees to each of the Terms and Conditions.
Our popular Public Ticket Nights allow individuals, rather than just groups, to experience the thrill of viewing celestial objects through our large, historic telescopes, the 60 and 100 inch telescopes–the two largest in the world dedicated to public viewing. We offer three kinds: 60-inch Telescope Sessions, 100-inch Telescope Sessions, and “Hyper” nights, where attendees will use both telescopes, switching midway through the session.
The telescope sessions will be guided by an experience telescope operator and session director, both with a thorough knowledge of the best objects to observe and the history of the Observatory, to enhance your experience. You are invited to bring any food and non-alcoholic drinks you wish. Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are provided. Please bring extra warm clothing, as it is usually cooler on the mountain than down in the valley. Come up and share a spectacular night of astronomy with other space enthusiasts.
Individuals reserving these tickets agree to the conditions and rules which apply to all our telescopes sessions.
No children under 12 are permitted.
Join a small group of individuals to observe the Universe through the famous 60-inch Telescope, which revolutionized astronomy and allowed astronomer Harlow Shapley to find our place in the Milky Way Galaxy. The group is limited to just 16 people, so you will have the opportunity to see many objects through this amazing instrument. Tickets are limited to four per registrant.
Join a small group of individuals to observe the Universe through the famous 100-inch Telescope, which astronomer Edwin Hubble used to prove that “spiral nebulae” are really distant galaxies similar our own Milky Way. He and Milton Humason then used this telescope to show that the Universe itself is expanding, a finding that led to the Big Bang Theory. The group is limited to just 20 people, so you will have the opportunity to see many objects through this amazing instrument. Tickets are limited to four per registrant.
Tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. They are non-refundable and non-transferrable, unless the session is cancelled by us for some reason beyond our control. Once you have purchased your tickets, the session director will contact you with specific instructions on where and when to meet and other details. If you have questions, please email our Public Ticket Night Coordinator at: pubtix@mtwilson.org.
These events are observing sessions, and therefore no mounting of cameras onto the telescope is allowed. We also discourage eyepiece photography to be respectful of each participants opportunity to view the objects and preserve our night vision.
All attendees must be ticketed, no discounts are given, and all sales are final.
The event will start at or before sunset and end at 1:00 am. There is a limit of four tickets per individual or family, and we cannot accommodate children under age twelve. All ticketed minor children must be accompanied by a ticketed responsible adult.
The Observatory is located at an elevation of 5700 feet with many stairs and steep pathways and is not easily accessible to persons with physical disabilities. Those with known cardiac and respiratory conditions may also want to consider this before requesting a ticket.
Ticket holders are responsible for their own transportation to and from Mount Wilson. A map and driving directions can be found here.
By purchasing a ticket to an observing session at the Mount Wilson Telescope(s), the purchaser agrees to each of the following Terms and Conditions: