September, 2004
We attended the Explore the Stars program at Observatory Campground on Mt. Palomar.
Scouts relax in camp before we started our hike to the observatory.
We hiked 2.2 miles up the Observatory trail to Mt. Palomar.
We visited the museum and gift shop at the observatory.
On our way to tour the 200 inch Hale telescope.
Waiting for our tour to begin.
We started the tour in the ground floor area underneath the telescope.
What do the astronomers do on cloudy nights? Play pool!
Our guide showed the scouts the controls and the various parts that make up the telescope.
The telescope is massive.
The 200 inch mirror is the thick circular portion at the bottom of the telescope.
The cylinder in the background is a vacuum deposition chamber that is used to put a new aluminum coating on the glass surface every few years.
The massive horseshoe is aligned along the polar axis and is used to aim the telescope east and west.
The guide let us go out on the exterior catwalk and started the dome turning.
Looking north to San Gorgonio and San Jacinto.
Mt. Palomar has several other smaller telescopes.
Back in camp, Alex and Jason start cooking dinner.