Palomar Observatory

35899 Canfield Road
Palomar Mountain, CA 92060-0200

Palomar Observatory, located atop Palomar Mountain in north San Diego County, is a center of astronomical research, owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology. The Observatory is home to three active research telescopes: the 200-inch Hale Telescope, the 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope, and the 60-inch telescope. Research at Palomar Observatory is pursued by a broad community of astronomers from Caltech and other domestic and international partner institutions.

Conceived of almost a hundred years ago, Palomar Observatory has been at the forefront of astronomical research since mid-century. Today, the Observatory operates every clear night and is an iconic facility for scientific advancement, instrument development, and training.

Whether you are an astronomy, history, or engineering enthusiast, or simply curious about the Observatory, you will enjoy visiting the museum and taking one of the guided tours of the facility. There is no food for sale on the premises so it would be a good idea to bring snacks or a picnic lunch since the Observatory is situated in a remote location. There are stairs to climb to access the visitor viewing gallery and it is not wheelchair accessible. Public guided tours are only offered on weekends during the summer months, but self-guided tours are available. You cannot “look through” any of the three telescopes, but can view the Hale telescope from the gallery. The museum is the best place to learn the history of the Observatory.

Phone: (760) 742-2119 (call for latest status)

The observatory is open from 9:00 – 3:30 daily, weather dependant, so check before you go.

https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/homepage.html

Driving Directions:  https://goo.gl/maps/DGn22BJMXJWFtFZa7  (101 mi/2.25-2:75 hrs, depending on traffic)