Giant Owls from Space Invade Palomar?

It only took about 5 days for an owl to decide that our new AllOwl-Sky Camera makes for a pretty good perch. Sigh.

The photo above is a 151 second exposure taken the night of the 14th. The owl didn't even have the good graces to hold still during the exposure so there are multiple images of the talons.

It seems that Palomar is not the first to have this kind of problem. Unfortunately our owl has been back and left "calling cards" on the glass dome of the camera. We need to both clean the lens and discourage the owl from perching there (or give it a place that is even better). Does anybody have any good ideas about that?

Look tomorrow for a short video of from the all-sky covering about 4 nights & days taken before the owl came to visit.

Palomar History Photo of the Week - September 20, 2010

This week's history photo of the week shows two members of the crew at Westinghouse posed inside a section of the mammoth horseshoe of the 200-inch Telescope.

I have always hoped that this was just a publicity shot, because at this point in the process of manufacturing, how much is a tape measure going tell you about the job that you have done?

Feeling Blue from Light Pollution

There are a lot of changes coming in the world of street lighting that could have a major impact on operations at Palomar Observatory. For a short perspective on it have a look at this recent article in the San Diego Union Tribune newspaper.

In summary there is a big push to convert away from the astronomy-friendly low-pressure sodium lighting installed to help protect Palomar Observatory in favor of full-spectrum lights. These full spectrum lights are rich in blue light which disproportionately brighten the night sky. While the lights will be dimmer and thus save energy, their impact on astronomical research will be felt.

The International Dark-sky Association has come out against such changes. You can read their research paper Visibility, Environmental, and Astronomical Issues Associated with Blue-Rich White Outdoor Lighting here. A shorter, summary piece Seeing Blue is here.

While these are big issues for cities and organizations to sort out don't forget that you can make a difference right at your own home. By choosing to turn off unneeded lights or installing a dark-sky friendly light fixture you can improve the sky for everyone in your area. If your area happens to be San Diego County, don't forget that thanks to SDG&E Dixieline Hardware now has a great deal on lights that are dark-sky friendly.

Astronomy Events in So Cal

If you are looking for something astronomical to do this weekend, look no farther than the Pacific Astronomy and Telescope Show in Pasadena. It should be two awesome days of astronomy-related goodness.


If two days of astronomy isn't enough for you, why not consider signing up for a short course on astronomy where you can learn to Think Like an Astronomer? It is only $40 and you get a telescope out of the deal. The details are below:

Palomar History Photo of the Week - September 14, 2010

Our history photo of the week shows the 200-inch mirror as it looked in the Caltech Optical Shop May 13, 1939. The disc looks dramatically different from how it looked when it arrived three years earlier.

Last Night from our New All-Sky Camera

Here is how last night looked from our new all-sky camera:

If you look closely (you may need to watch it more than once) you can spot the dome of the Hale Telescope in the upper right - near the edge of trees. Here is a direct link to it on YouTube.

Palomar History Photo of the Week - Labor Day 2010

It is Labor Day here in the U.S. - time to celebrate hard work by hopefully taking a day off from work. A lot of people worked very hard building the 200-inch telescope including these people from the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company's South Philadelphia plant.


Westinghouse assembled this cast photo of the crew that built the telescope. In this shot they are assembled in the still ring that would later attach the 200-inch mirror to the telescope. We are thankful for the hard work put in by all of the people who helped make the observatory a reality.

Happy Labor Day!

Fire Danger now Very High

As of this morning the Fire Danger in the Cleveland National Forest on Palomar Mountain is now rated at "Very High". Be careful out there.

Hale Telescope Tours Continue on Weekends in September & October

Most of the time when people visit Palomar Observatory they can only see the Hale Telescope from the Visitors Gallery (shown above). If you visit on a weekend through the end of October you can get on the other side for a guided tour.

Tours are offered at 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $8.00 per person for all ages. Tour tickets are sold in the gift shop the day of the tour on a first-come, first-served basis. The gift shop opens at 10:00 a.m. No prior reservations are taken. The tour is not recommended for children under six years of age. Sorry, no pets.

Tours cover the history and current scientific research of the Palomar Observatory, with a special emphasis on the 200-inch Hale Telescope. Remember it can be pretty cool in the dome as the interior is kept at nighttime temperatures (for an elevation of 5,500 feet). High-heeled shoes are not recommended for the tours.

These one-hour-long tours are held on Saturdays & Sundays only now through the end of October.

Preview: Palomar's New All-Sky Camera

Here is a preview shot from Palomar Observatory's new all-sky camera. This photo was taken last night right at moonrise. Our all-sky camera is not yet perfectly focused or installed in its final spot (It will be on the pole in the photo), but in this shot it did capture the Milky Way and a meteor.


I will announce it here when the camera is up and running. From time to time I'll post interesting images or movies as they come in.