Mount Wilson Observatory

At our May 10 “Talks & Telescopes,” Dr. Phil Korngut shared the story of NASA’s SPHEREx mission—from design in Pasadena to launch and first light. Now fully operational in orbit, SPHEREx is mapping the sky in infrared.
📺 Now on Youtube! youtu.be/LpoTgpj1AFU

SMALL PAINTINGS OF INFINITY: Step inside the 100-inch dome to see James Griffith’s stunning works linking fossils to the cosmos. Art, science & history in one space.
Saturdays thru Oct 26 | 1–5PM | $5
🎟 www.mtwilson.edu/events/arts-griffith/

Teachers: This fall, bring your students to Mount Wilson Observatory for an unforgettable NGSS-aligned STEM field trip—where Einstein, Hawking & Sagan once stood. Science comes alive where history was made!
Learn more: www.mtwilson.edu/stem

Tim Talks | Mon, Aug 11 @ 7PM
Mount Wilson’s Tim Thompson brings Observatory history to life in “The Real Magic Mountain,” hosted by the Palos Verdes Gem & Mineral Society. Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Rd, Rolling Hills Estates. $10 donation appreciated

Talks & Telescopes | Sat, Aug 9 @ 5:30PM
Is Planet Nine out there? Join Caltech’s Dr. Mike Brown (“How I Killed Pluto…”) at Mount Wilson for a night of discovery + stargazing. ASL interpretation provided.
🎟 mtwilson.edu/events/talk080925

See the universe like never before!
Mount Wilson’s Public Ticket Nights offer views through the historic 60- & 100-inch telescopes—recently realuminized for even sharper stargazing. Final dates this year are in October!
🎟 mtwilson.edu/public-ticket-nights

Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome | Aug 3 at 3PM & 5PM
Hear the Zelter String Quartet live in Mount Wilson’s 100-inch Telescope Dome—featuring Beethoven & the world premiere of The City of Angels by Todd Mason.
🎟 Tickets: mtwilson.edu/events/concert080325

Ever wondered how this historic observatory was built & still runs? Join our Engineering Tours for a rare look at the machinery behind our famous telescopes!
Final tours: Aug 30 | Sept 14 | Oct 26.
🎟️ Tickets: www.mtwilson.edu/engineering-tour

MATINEES ON THE MOUNTAIN | SAT JULY 26 @ 3PM
Next up in our hit movie series: Contact! Enjoy lunch at the Cosmic Café, explore the Observatory, then watch Carl Sagan’s classic high above LA.
🎟️ Limited tickets: www.mtwilson.edu/movies

THIS FRI, JULY 25 | FREE STAR PARTY!
Enjoy an unforgettable night under the stars at historic Mount Wilson Observatory. From sunset–1 AM, LAAS volunteers share views through their telescopes. Enter main gate—volunteers will guide you.
ℹ️ www.mtwilson.edu/star-parties

Thanks @kcrw.com for highlighting our Concerts in the Dome! 🎶 This Sunday is sold out, but 6 more concerts await—world‑class music in the stunning acoustics of our historic dome high above LA.
🎟 www.mtwilson.edu/concerts/
📻 www.kcrw.com/news/shows/kcrw-features/mt-wilson

MATINEES ON THE MOUNTAIN | SAT JULY 26 @ 3PM
Join us for Contact—Carl Sagan’s epic tale of first contact starring Jodie Foster—as part of our hit summer screening series!
Make a day of it: lunch, explore, then movie magic above the city.
🎟 www.mtwilson.edu/movies/

SMALL PAINTINGS OF INFINITY by James Griffith—now on view inside the historic 100-inch dome at Mount Wilson Observatory! A poetic fusion of art, science & time.
Saturdays, July 19–Oct 26 | 1–5PM | $5
🎟 www.mtwilson.edu/events/arts-griffith/

THIS FRIDAY, JULY 18 | FREE STAR PARTY!
Join @LAAS__Official at Mount Wilson Observatory from sunset–1AM for a night of stargazing! See clusters, nebulae, galaxies & even Saturn & Neptune after midnight.
Free entry | Donations welcome
ℹ️ www.mtwilson.edu/star-parties

A Monument of Solar Astrophysics: Mount Wilson’s 60- & 150-foot solar towers revolutionized solar science—discovering magnetic fields in sunspots & launching helioseismology. Daily sunspot drawings since 1917:
☀️ www.mtwilson.edu/sunspot-drawings

🌋 This Saturday! A few tickets left!
Join NASA JPL’s Dr. Rosaly Lopes for Volcanism in the Solar System—a fiery talk + stargazing through historic telescopes
🎟 mtwilson.edu/lectures

Sunday, July 13 | 2–5PM | Free
Join us for the opening of Small Paintings of Infinity by James Griffith—art inspired by Earth, fossils, and the cosmos—inside the historic 100-inch dome at Mount Wilson.
Info: www.mtwilson.edu/events/arts-griffith/

Tickets for Mount Wilson Public Ticket Nights (Sept & Oct) are on sale! View the cosmos through historic telescopes—these popular nights sell fast - don’t miss out: www.mtwilson.edu/public-ticket-nights/

July 4 Advisory: Mount Wilson is open 10AM–5PM. Gates close at 5PM—no evening access or fireworks viewing. No guided tours, but self-guided visits welcome with our printable map: bit.ly/mwomap. It’s cooler up here—come explore by day!

SUNDAY, JUNE 29 | CONCERTS IN THE DOME 🎶
CELLISSIMO: Cécilia Tsan & Allan Hon perform cello duets inside the 100-inch dome—incl. a world premiere, Bach, Barrière & Offenbach.
3PM & 5PM | 🎟 mtwilson.edu/concerts

THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 28 | FREE STAR PARTY
Join LAAS at Mount Wilson from sunset–1AM for stargazing through personal telescopes! Possible sights: Moon, Mars, Mercury, galaxies & more.
Donations appreciated!
🔭 Info: mtwilson.edu/star-parties

TALKS & TELESCOPES | Sat, July 20 @ 5:30PM
NASA’s Dr. Rosaly Lopes explores “Volcanism in the Solar System”—from Earth’s eruptions to ice volcanoes on distant moons. Stay after to stargaze!
🎟 mtwilson.edu/lectures

In 1904, the Snow solar telescope arrived from Yerkes, launching the world’s first observatory for astrophysics. Its unique horizontal design captures sunlight via coelostat mirrors—revealing the solar spectrum. A trailblazing start to a century of discovery!

Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome | June 29 @ 3 & 5PM. CELLISSIMO: Cécilia Tsan & Allan Hon perform Bach, Barrière, Offenbach + the world premiere of Gernot Wolfgang’s Ready to Rumble - all inside the 100-inch telescope dome.
🎟️ Tickets: www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert062925

Mount Wilson’s 100-inch telescope helped Edwin Hubble reshape our view of the universe. From discovering galaxies beyond the Milky Way to evidence of dark matter and new stellar types—it’s one of the most storied instruments in astronomical history.

“We are on top of Mount Wilson - wish you all were with us!” Visit us this Father’s Day: take a tour, enjoy hikes, lunch from the Cosmic Cafe, & take in the beautiful views of LA - all right here in your back yard. We wish you all were with us, too! www.mtwilson.edu/visiting

MATINEES ON THE MOUNTAIN Sat 6/21 @ 3PM - A Silent Sci-Fi Spectacle! A one-of-a-kind cinematic experience w silent film historian Joe Rinaudo, his 1909 hand-cranked motion picture machine, & a program of scifi shorts w live musical accompaniment! TIX: www.mtwilson.edu/movies

TALKS & TELESCOPES Sat June 14 | 5:30PM. Uncover the heartfelt, curious, & often wildly unorthodox letters sent to the Observatory from 1915–1935 in a talk from David Wilson, Museum of Jurassic Technology. Stay after to gaze thru historic telescopes! tix @ www.mtwilson.edu/lectures

View celestial objects through historic telescopes at Mount Wilson Observatory! We have openings for private reservations in June & July (weeknights offering most availability). Surprisingly affordable when shared with a group of friends or colleagues. mtwilson.edu/observe

FREE Star Party with the Los Angeles Astronomical Society THIS FRIDAY MAY 30 Sunset-1AM! Join us for a night under the stars with LAAS volunteers who share their private telescopes with the public. More info: www.mtwilson.edu/star-parties