Mt. Palomar: Nebula Seeker Conceived over 100 years ago, Palomar Observatory, located on Mt. Palomar in northern San Diego, California is owned and run by Caltech. The Observatory has three active telescopes and partners with others in the U.S.A. and internationally. George Ellery Hale was responsible for its development. At that time, he was a graduate of MIT and founder of Caltech in Pasadena, California. The Rockefeller Foundation provided a grant for $6 million in 1928 to eventually have a 200‐inch reflecting telescope on site. Hale died in 1938, but his work was in building the world’s largest telescopes four times between 1897 and 1917. His passion for searching out into space made the grant possible. Hale’s technical skills made history and a new product called Pyrex by the Corning Glass Works, Corning NY. Through many stages, failures and success, in 1936, the 200‐inch optical glass was transported to Pasadena. It weighed approximately 4.5 tons and it would take 13 years to grind and configure the glass for the mirror telescope. During the early 1930s, Hale originally thought the 200‐inch telescope would be used at the Mt. Wilson Observatory near Los Angeles. However, light degradation in that city caused a new site to be considered. In 1934, Caltech purchased 120 acres of land including the top of the mountain. The cost for the land was $12,000. Construction began in 1936, but because of its location, electricity had to come from a generator built on site. On April 11, 1939 the dome and telescope were completed, but without its mirror. Edwin Hubble was the first astronomer to use the Hale Telescope. The telescope was dedicated in 1948. Hubble became famous on January 26, 1949, while using the Hale Telescope and exposing the first image called, “First Light.” A much more detailed history of the operation, astronomers and other new and exciting finds can be learned by reading the following source, http://www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/homepage.html. This photo program shares a few photos taken on Mt. Palomar and its observatory.
acuri.net John R. Vincenti Mt. Palomar ‐ Palomar Observatory