Visiting Palomar Observatory
Due to the continuing pandemic, Palomar Observatory remains closed to the public. Updated Sat 07 Nov 2020 9:12 am PST
Group tour at the base of the 200-inch Hale Telescope. (Palomar/Caltech)
Palomar Observatory is owned and operated by Caltech, and as such it is private property.
The Observatory is a popular destination
in Southern California and receives tens of thousands of visitors a year from all over the world.
Most come to see the famous 200-inch (5.1-meter) Hale
Telescope—for decades
the largest effective telescope in operation. Whether you are an astronomy, history, or engineering
enthusiast, or simply curious about the Observatory, you will enjoy visiting our
museum and taking one of our guided tours of
the facility. All are welcome at the Palomar, but we ask that all visitors respect our rules
and procedures.
Map of the Observatory showing the location of areas accessible to visitors.
(Palomar/Caltech)
Contents
- Visiting hours
- Public areas
- Plan your visit
- Before you drive
- Driving directions
- On the Observatory grounds
- Information for mobility-impaired visitors
- Reviews
Due to the continuing pandemic, Palomar Observatory is closed to the public until further notice.
Snow-covered Hale Telescope dome. (Palomar/Caltech)
- Visitors should be aware that we may close the Observatory to the public due to
weather or other unforeseen conditions without advance notice.
- The Observatory makes every effort to inform the public of the facility's current status.
The environment of Palomar Mountain is, however, both dynamic and uncertain, sometimes resulting
in dangerous road conditions. Due to the uncertainties of our mountain environment, road conditions
and our complex operations supporting our research mission, we can not guarantee that information
presented on our website or phone information system will be accurate at the time when visitors
arrive at our facility.
- Please be aware that regional road and weather information supplied by state and other
authorities may not reflect the specific conditions prevailing at the Observatory.
- Visitors are urged to pay close attention to signs
indicating the Observatory's closure to visitors that may be
posted at the S6 "summit" location approximately 4.2 miles
south of the Observatory. Please see our
driving directions page for directions and
information on any possible road closures.
- There are no gas stations on Palomar Mountain. Check your
fuel before driving to the Observatory.
Paved path that leads from the parking lot to the Hale Telescope dome.
To the right, the Visitor Center's access ramp. (Palomar/Caltech)
- Please note that the interior of the Hale Telescope
dome is kept at nighttime temperatures for an elevation of 5,598 feet/1,702 meters. Dress
accordingly.
- Please see our tours page for information
about guided tours. We do not offer guided tours every day that
the Observatory is open to the public. On most days,
visitors are welcome to look around the designated public areas
on their own, at their own pace.
- To make your visit easier we have a podcast that explains what can be seen.
Click here to listen
(right click to save to your computer) to the 10 minute (9.2 Mb)
audio tour.
- Cellphone reception, if any, is very limited on Palomar Mountain.
- Palomar Observatory is a research facility. Please respect the safety rules
you will see posted on signs around the grounds. Help maintain the environment and the structures
by not walking on the buildings or climbing in trees. When you visit, we request you stay on
the designated walking paths.
Steps to the Visitors Gallery inside the Hale Telescope dome.
(Palomar/Caltech)
- The dome that houses the 200-inch
Hale Telescope is at a moderate distance from the parking lot. There is a 1,050-foot
(320-meter), slightly uphill, paved walking path that connects the parking lot with the dome.
- Access to the
Visitors Gallery in the Hale Telescope dome requires climbing 70 steps. We welcome mobility-impaired
visitors and support Hale access for such visitors at 10:45 am and 1:15 pm daily, resources and
conditions permitting. Mobility-impaired
visitors should check-in with the Gift Shop
attendant (the Gift Shop is located in the Greenway
Visitor Center) to receive specific access instructions, and may discuss
any special support needs. We regret that we cannot accommodate wheelchair access to
the Hale Telescope dome at this time.
- The Observatory's Visitor Center,
only 130 feet (40 meters) from the parking lot,
is open whenever the Observatory is open and is wheelchair accessible.
See reviews from recent Palomar visitors, or contribute a review of your own:
TripAdvisor,
Yelp.
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