This weekend Graylan was in town and he wanted to see the observatory on Mt. Palomar. This is by far the most visitor-accessible of still-in-use observatories in the world, and it was worth the trip.I finally got to use my new camera in low light situations (major weakness on my old camera) and it's great. All of the indoor pictures were shot with ambient light in near darkness. I love the new camera. Purdy pictures abound.
The dome of the telescope with a circumhorizontal arc ("fire rainbow"), a fairly unusual sight. Submitted this to Astronomy Picture of the Day.
The "summit" of Mt. Palomar (5600'). It's certainly a very big hill, but mountain is a little generous.
The 200 inch mirror housing with the bearing for Right Ascension adjustment on the left. That's a BIG mirror.
The full telescope.
The telescope frame and the inside of the dome.
Some scale on the telescope frame with the Graylan. Also testing the fill flash.
It's so big!
scott is that a fanny pack?!?! jesus.
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