Users' questions

How big is the telescope at Mount Palomar?

How big is the telescope at Mount Palomar?

200-inch
Palomar Observatory, astronomical observatory located on Mount Palomar, about 40 miles (65 km) north-northeast of San Diego, Calif. The observatory is the site of the famous Hale Telescope, a reflector with a 200-inch (508-cm) aperture that has proved instrumental in cosmological research.

How big is the Hale Telescope?

The 200-inch (5.1 m) Hale Telescope (f/3.3) was the world’s largest effective telescope for 45 years (1948-1993). It is still a workhorse of modern astronomy. It is used nightly for a wide range of astronomical studies.

What is the size of the primary mirror of the Hale Telescope?

The Hale Telescope is a reflector, that is, a telescope whose primary optical element is a curved mirror—there are no lenses in the telescope itself. The Hale’s primary mirror is a 200-inch (5.1-meter) in diameter Pyrex disk that weighs 14.5 tons (13 tonnes).

Why is Palomar Observatory closed?

Due to the continuing pandemic, Palomar Observatory remains closed to the public. Palomar Observatory is owned and operated by Caltech, and as such it is private property. The Observatory is a popular destination in Southern California and receives tens of thousands of visitors a year from all over the world.

How big is the Hale telescope at Palomar?

…it was surpassed by the Palomar Observatory ’s 200-inch (504-cm) Hale Telescope, which was designed largely by Mount Wilson staff. Palomar was initially operated jointly by Mount Wilson and the California Institute of Technology, and eventually the two observatories were combined as the Hale Observatories.

Is the 200 inch telescope at Palomar open?

The famous 200-inch Hale Telescope is open to the public for tours every Saturday and Sunday. The tour takes you inside the Observatory building and onto the observing floor under the 200-inch telescope. To earn extra credit you must take the guided tour inside of the telescope dome.

Where is the Hale Telescope in San Diego?

Hale was a Caltech founder and was very interested in building ever-larger and more accurate telescopes. Palomar Observatory is located northeast of San Diego, California, at the summit of Palomar Mountain. The biggest telescope at Palomar is the 200-inch, 530-ton Hale Telescope. It was named for founder George Ellery Hale.

Where is the biggest telescope in San Diego?

Palomar Observatory Telescopes. Palomar Observatory is located northeast of San Diego, California, at the summit of Palomar Mountain. The biggest telescope at Palomar is the 200-inch, 530-ton Hale Telescope.