AAA Editor Notes
Lick Observatory is e. via Alum Rock Rd., then 19 mi. on narrow, winding Mount Hamilton Rd. (SR 130). The observatory, at the 4,209-foot summit of Mount Hamilton, was built in 1888 and is the center of observational astronomy for the University of California.
A visitor center in the Main Building contains exhibits, high-definition video displays and the original 36-inch refracting telescope. Talks, given in the dome of the 36-inch refractor, relate the history of the observatory and provide information about current research utilizing the nine telescopes at the mountaintop. A short walk leads to the Shane Dome, where the 120-inch reflector can be seen from a visitors gallery; the gallery also offers an audiovisual presentation and interpretive displays.
Note: Mount Hamilton Rd. is closed during heavy snowfalls. Automotive services are not available.
Time: Allow 2 hours minimum.
A visitor center in the Main Building contains exhibits, high-definition video displays and the original 36-inch refracting telescope. Talks, given in the dome of the 36-inch refractor, relate the history of the observatory and provide information about current research utilizing the nine telescopes at the mountaintop. A short walk leads to the Shane Dome, where the 120-inch reflector can be seen from a visitors gallery; the gallery also offers an audiovisual presentation and interpretive displays.
Note: Mount Hamilton Rd. is closed during heavy snowfalls. Automotive services are not available.
Time: Allow 2 hours minimum.
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