Caltech Marks 75 Years Since Palomar Observatory First Dedicated – Pasadena Now
"This year is our 75th anniversary. We're pretty excited," Dr. Andy Boden, an astronomer and administrator at Caltech's Palomar Observatory told local TV news affiliate CBS8 this week.
The Observatory, located atop Palomar Mountain in north San Diego County, is a center of astronomical research, one of the most iconic scientific facilities in the world and a crown jewel in the research traditions of Caltech.
The observatory has been a pioneer in exploring the universe since its dedication on June 3, 1948. It has facilitated many discoveries, such as quasars, brown dwarfs, supernovae, and exoplanets. One of its recent achievements was the discovery of a green comet by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), a survey camera on the Samuel Oschin Telescope. The comet has not been seen from Earth for 50,000 years.
The Observatory was the vision of Dr. George Ellery Hale, an American astronomer who resided, worked and passed away in Pasadena and is known for building massive telescopes that have made a lasting impact on astronomy and the overall growth of science and scientific institutions in the twentieth century.
In 1928, Caltech received a six-million-dollar grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to build the telescope and its dome.
"Now, that's about 90 million dollars," said Dr. Boden told CBS8.
According to Dr. Boden, the building and telescope steel were in place by 1939, but the remaining work was halted during World War II due to concerns that the observatory could become a target. It finally opened in 1948 with the largest telescope on the planet, the Hale telescope, which has a 200-inch or five-meter aperture. Decades later, it is still in use daily by astronomers.
Pictures of stars and other celestial objects are studied by astronomers using computers in a separate room.
The facility is located 5500 feet above sea level and uses low-pressure sodium lights to reduce light pollution, allowing astronomers to do their best work.
The Observatory is home to three active research telescopes : the , the , and the . Research at Palomar Observatory is pursued by a broad community of astronomers from Caltech and other domestic and international partner institutions.
The discoveries and innovations made at Palomar Observatory over the decades include those made about the expanding universe, dark matter, quasars, supernovae, asteroids, exoplanets and more.
The observatory is also a popular destination for visitors from all over the world.
The observatory has an on-site museum—the Greenway Visitor Center—containing observatory and astronomy-relevant exhibits, a gift shop, and hosts periodic public events. For those unable to travel to the observatory, Palomar provides an extensive virtual tour that provides virtual access to all the major research telescopes on-site.
Palomar Observatory is open to visitors daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., except for certain holidays. Admission and parking are free. (An earlier version of this story erroneously said parking fees were charged, but that is not correct.)
