The top of Palomar Mountain

On day two I rode up South Grade road to the very top to the Observatory. The observatory is home to five telescopes that are nightly used for a wide variety of astronomical research programs.



So I walked into the gate and over the trees I caught my eye on the dome. The dome was completed in 1949 and has been used on a regular basis ever since.


I got a nice person to snap my picture.

A close up!

I was told you can go inside and look at it, so I kept walking...

It is so massive when you are up close next to it. The top opens up at night so the telescope can peer out into the sky.

When I walked up the stairs, there is a viewing area to look into the main room.


This is a picture through the glass. The telescope it above this picture.

I found this picture online. It gives you a better idea of the size of the telescope.

Here is a picture I downloaded to show you how the roof opens up at night.

After my education and fascination with the Observatory I was ready to ride again. I headed back down the mountain. Half way down there is a little general store and a vegetarian restaurant. All of the motorcycles like to stop there and chat it up. I stopped there to buy more water.