Mount Wilson Observatory

Can’t get to the mountain for holiday shopping at our merch store? No problem! 🎁
Find Mount Wilson merch online at www.mtwilson.edu/merch - every purchase supports the Observatory.

Big news: The Cosmic Café is staying open weekends through Dec 28! Enjoy our winter menu 10AM–4PM - chili, vegan tomato soup, hot drinks & sweet treats - plus stunning mountain views.
Saturday tours at 11:30AM (weather permitting). Come up and say hello!

Please note: the Observatory gates will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. We’re grateful for our members, donors, staff, and dedicated volunteers - your support keeps this historic site thriving. THANK YOU!
(Photo: Andrew Carnegie & George Ellery Hale, 1910)

It’s been a landmark year at Mount Wilson - sold-out concerts, new film nights, and first-time visitors marveling at the 100-inch telescope. As we celebrate 120+ years of discovery, your support keeps our legacy alive. Join or donate: www.mtwilson.edu/support-us

The Cosmic Café is open weekends 10–4! ☕🌭
Grab hot drinks, chili, vegan tomato soup, hot dogs, sandwiches, sweet treats & more. Stay warm with hoodies, beanies, jackets and cozy socks.
Docent-led Observatory tours: Sat & Sun at 11:30 & 1:00.
Come hungry, leave happy!

This 1910 photo shows scientists from across the globe at Mount Wilson for the Fourth Conference on Solar Research—an early effort to coordinate international astronomy. H.C. Wilson later called it “a remarkable meeting” for its people, purpose, and place.

🌧️ Weather Update: Due to the rainy conditions, all docent tours at the Observatory are cancelled this weekend (Nov 15-16). Stay dry, and we’ll see you on the mountain again soon!

Aurora over Mount Wilson!
The North Tower Cam caught a rare glimpse of the northern lights around 8:45 PM on Nov 11 — caused by a strong geomagnetic storm from a recent solar flare.

The Fall 2025 issue of Reflections is here! Explore stories of innovation, history & community from Mount Wilson — from the 60-inch telescope’s legacy to early hybrid trucks & our new film series. Read now: mtwilson.edu/reflections-fall2025

Student Research on the Mountain! This fall, student astronomers spent a week at Mount Wilson using the historic 60-inch telescope to study binary stars via speckle interferometry. Read more in the Nov LAAS Bulletin → bit.ly/mwoLAASNov2025 (📸 Steven Garcia)

Beginner Birder Walk at Mount Wilson 🌿 | Sun, Nov 2, 8:30–10:30 AM. Join Pasadena Audubon Society & Mount Wilson Observatory for a beginner-friendly hike! Binoculars & spotting scopes provided. Limited spots — lottery entry. More info: www.mtwilson.edu/events/birderwalk110225

Thank you for an amazing 2025 season! Your support helps preserve Mount Wilson Observatory and inspire wonder. Join our mailing list to be among the first to hear about 2026 events: bit.ly/mwomail

Visit the Cosmic Café this weekend! Sat & Sun, 10–5 at Mount Wilson Observatory. Try our new vegan tomato soup, grab merch & tour tickets, and enjoy the mountain vibes!

Wed, Oct 22 @ 7:30PM PT — Join Mount Wilson’s Tim Thompson & McDonald Observatory LIVE for a Deep Sky Tour: Our Galactic Neighborhood! Explore Hubble’s discovery & see galaxies beyond the Milky Way! youtube.com/@mcdonaldobservatory

Last Matinee of 2025! Sat, Oct 25 @ 3PM, The Mad Worlds of the Fleischers & Buster Keaton with live organ by Mark Herman. Silent film magic meets Mount Wilson history! 🎟 Tickets: www.mtwilson.edu/events/movies102525

Last weeks of ARTS@THEOBSERVATORY! Sats thru Oct 26, $5 admission. See Terra Cosmica & Small Paintings of Infinity in the 100-inch telescope dome. 1–5 PM (film 3–5 PM)

Sun, Oct 19: Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas bring mariachi magic to the Dome! Final 2025 concert under the 100-inch telescope—don’t miss this unique experience.
🎟 www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert101925

Our final Talks & Telescopes of 2025 lit up the night! Guests explored cosmic rainbows with Prof. Jenny Krestow & Dr. Chris Burns. Be first to hear about 2026—join our mailing list: bit.ly/mwosignup

Last Matinee of the Season! Sat Oct 25 @ 3PM
The Mad Worlds of the Fleischers & Buster Keaton + live organ by Mark Herman—silent films from the era of Mount Wilson’s great cosmic discoveries.
Trailer: youtu.be/WrI5pH2yVqc
Tix: mtwilson.edu/events/movies102525

This Sunday! COSMIC ART NIGHT | Oct 12 @ 7PM
Experience Terra Cosmica—an immersive film inside the 100-inch dome—plus celestial art by James Griffith & a rare chance to observe through the 100-inch telescope!
🎟️ limited tix available: mtwilson.edu/events/cosmic-art-night-terracosmica

FREE STAR PARTY Fri Oct 10, Sunset–1AM at Mount Wilson Observatory!
See Saturn, Neptune, Uranus + galaxies, nebulae & star clusters with LAAS telescopes.
Weather can be a factor—please check our social media the day of the event for updates.
Free event; donations welcome.
ℹ️ mtwilson.edu/star-parties

TALKS & TELESCOPES | Sat Oct 11 @ 5:30PM
Explore cosmic rainbows with Prof. Jenny Krestow & Dr. Chris Burns—how light reveals the secrets of stars & planets! Stay for telescope viewing + stargazing. ✨🔭
🎟 Last lecture of the season: mtwilson.edu/events/talk101125

Concerts in the Dome | Sun Oct 5 @ 3 & 5PM
Chamber music soars inside the legendary 100-inch Telescope Dome—where Hubble unveiled the expanding universe. Works by Gal, Britten & Prokofiev.
🎟 mtwilson.edu/events/concert100525

A look inside Mount Wilson’s 150-ft Solar Telescope, the world’s tallest since 1912. Operator Steve Padilla continues a century of solar research & education with this historic instrument. 📸 Patricia Hill

FREE STAR PARTY! Sat Sep 27
Sunset–1AM at Mount Wilson Observatory with LAAS telescopes - see Saturn, Neptune, Uranus + galaxies, nebulae & star clusters. Free (donations welcome).
ℹ️ mtwilson.edu/star-parties

ARTS@THEOBSERVATORY | Sats thru Oct 26
In the 100-inch Dome:
Terra Cosmica immersive film (3–5 PM)
James Griffith’s Small Paintings of Infinity (1–5 PM)
Art, science & cosmos converge. Admission $5

Volunteer Appreciation Night
We celebrated the amazing volunteers who keep Mount Wilson alive with a special evening on the legendary 60-inch Telescope. Thank you for your passion & dedication!
📸 Allan Der

SUN SEP 21 | 3PM & 5PM
The New Hollywood String Quartet performs an all-Schubert program inside the historic 100-inch Telescope Dome—where the universe’s expansion was discovered. 🌌🎶
🎟 mtwilson.edu/events/concert092125

SOLD OUT! 🎬✨
Sat Sep 27 | Close Encounters of the Third Kind with a Bob Baker Marionettes pre-show + exhibit.
Missed it? October’s final Matinee on the Mountain will be announced soon—stay tuned!

Arts@theObservatory presents: TERRA COSMICA — an immersive 43-min film by Rebeca Méndez & Stephen Nowlin, dissolving the boundary between earth & cosmos. On view Saturdays 3–5PM thru Oct 26 | $5 admission at the door.