Palomar Observatory- part 1

[beaky]

My buds from work wouldn't go with me, but I know there are some of you who will appreciate these...

I'd never fly out West just to visit Palomar, but since I'm here already, why not? About 1 1/2 hours away by car, ending with a long climb up a switchback road with amazing views. This was taken at about the 4000-foot level...

     


There are several instruments up there on CalTech's piece of the mountain, but of course the centerpiece is the "Big Eye", the 200-inch reflector. Here's a view of the dome as you make your way up the path from the visitor center.

     


Most people would not realize that these huts comprise a telescope- an interferometer. There are three 18" optical scopes whose light is channeled via tubes to a central hut where the light is actually delayed via mirrors so it all hits at the same time. The light is combined to produce imagery with a resolution equivalent to one really big scope. This technique is often used in radio astronomy, such as the VLA in New Mexico.
The thing in the background is a water tower...

     


In the visitor's gallery, there's a nice model of Newton's scope... anybody know what type of reflector this is?

     


It's a bit dark inside the dome, but I used my camcorder to grab some low-light shots. I stuck three shots together to get this top-to- bottom view of the 200" scope... turned out OK. The dead vertical part is the actual telescope; the other massive part is just the mount.



Next: part 2

[Omag 2.0]

Cool! It looks like a great spot. Did you get any viewing time at night?

[alrot]

Wow ,Amazing 5 meters wide mirrow  :o , You see that sky in the 3rd photo ? you could almost see the stars in the day..LOL

Is that the Original newtonian from Newton?

[freedomhays]

Way to go,

[beaky]

Yes, it's very cool.
No, even contributing "members" are not allowed time on the 200" Hale scope... there is a 60" reflector on the mountain that is sometimes available to a select few amateurs.
But the Big Eye is in use almost every clear night, unless it is down for repairs or maintenance.
To get time on that one, you need to write a paper explaining what you intend to do with it, and that paper is reviewed to see if it's worthy. Then you wait a long, long time for your turn.

No, that little Newtonian is a replica of Sir Isaac's modest but very important  6" 'scope.

[flyboy 28]

Great shots, Sean. When I was in LA this summer, we took a trip to the Mt. Wilson Observatory. Some 5,300 feet up. It was a wild ride up. Very twisty. I should get some pics up of that.