Griffith Observatory is an icon of Los Angeles, a national leader in public astronomy, a beloved civic gathering place, and one of Southern California’s most popular attractions. The Observatory is located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, just above the Los Feliz neighborhood. The Observatory is also one of the best vantage points for observing the world-famous Hollywood Sign. Griffith Observatory is a free-admission, public facility owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks in the middle of an urban metropolis of ten million people.
Since opening in 1935, the Observatory has welcomed over 76 million visitors. More people (7.5 million) have looked through the Observatory’s Zeiss 12-inch refracting telescope than through any other on Earth. More than 14 million have seen a live program in the Observatory’s Samuel Oschin Planetarium.
Fulfilling the Observatory’s goal of “visitor as observer,” free public telescopes are available each evening the Observatory is open and skies are clear. Knowledgeable telescope demonstrators are available to guide visitors in observing.
One Saturday a month, the Observatory hosts a public star party. Free public star parties are held monthly at Griffith Observatory from 2:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. with the assistance of volunteers from the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Los Angeles Sidewalk Astronomers, and The Planetary Society. They are a chance for the whole family to look at the Sun, Moon, visible planets and other objects, to try out a variety of telescopes, and to talk to knowledgeable amateur astronomers about the sky and their equipment.
Be aware that the demonstrators must cut off the line for each telescope by 9:30 p.m. or earlier to enable all viewing to be completed by 9:45 p.m. Hours of telescope operation are not the same as for the building (which closes at 10:00 p.m.) To learn about what you can see in the night sky over Southern California, click here to see the weekly Sky Report.
Some of the other programs at the Observatory include:
The Once and Future Griffith Observatory (Daily – Every hour on the hour)
The Once and Future Griffith Observatory provides an exciting and compelling introduction to the history and unique public offerings of the Observatory. This 24-minute film, entertainingly narrated by Leonard Nimoy, reveals how the vision of one man led to the creation of an architectural, cultural, and astronomical icon for southern California.
The Gottlieb Transit Corridor Local Noon Talk
When the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky, directly overhead the Observatory’s meridian line, we celebrate local noon. A Museum Guide gives a 15-minute presentation explaining how we use the Sun’s light in the Gottlieb Transit Corridor to tell us what day it is and where the Sun is located in its pathway across the sky.
Tesla Coil Demonstration
Periodically each day, Observatory staff make brief presentations while operating our historic Tesla Coil in the Hall of the Eye. For more information about the Tesla Coil, go to the Tesla Coil exhibit page.
The Big Picture
Each day, Museum Guides use the largest astronomical image in the world to help explain our place in space.
Sunset Walk & Talk Events
Each month the Observatory offers a sunset hike led by a Park Ranger and a Museum Guide. The hike starts on the Observatory’s West Terrace, proceeds up the Charlie Turner trail to the Berlin Forest on the hill just north of the Observatory, and then returns to the West Terrace. The distance covered is about half a mile over the course of an hour at a very moderate pace with stops along the way to discuss the highlights and history of Griffith Park and objects visible in the evening sky.
Click here for more details on these programs and more.
Source: Griffith Observatory