Visiting Palomar Observatory

Palomar Observatory is open daily (weather permitting) except 24 and 25 December. Visiting hours are from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Standard Time (9:00 am to 4:00 pm during Daylight Savings Time).

The Observatory will be closed if travel or other conditions are hazardous. Whenever possible, our Public Information Recording phone number (760) 742-2119 will be updated to reflect any closures.

Public Areas

The public areas of the Observatory consist of the A.W. Greenway Jr. Visitor Center and the Visitors Gallery inside the 200-inch Hale Telescope (P200) dome. The Visitor Center also features the Palomar Observatory Gift Shop, which is open on weekends and most weekdays.

Map of the Observatory showing the location of areas accessible to visitors (Palomar Observatory/California Institute of Technology)

• Visitors should be aware that we may close the Observatory to the public due to weather or other unforeseen conditions without advance notice.
• Palomar Observatory makes every effort to inform the public of our visitation status. 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.
• Visitors to the Observatory should be aware that dramatic changes due to weather such as ice, wind, fog and road debris is location specific and general information supplied by state, federal and local agencies may not reflect conditions near or at the Observatory.

Snow-covered P200 dome (Palomar Observatory/California Institute of Technology)

Driving Directions

• Please visit our driving directions page for instructions and map.

On the Observatory Grounds

• Please note that the interior of the P200 dome is kept at nighttime temperatures for an elevation of 5,500 feet/1,675 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 a bit easier we do 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.

Paved trail that leads from the parking lot to the P200 dome. To the right, the Visitor Center's access ramp (Palomar Observatory/California Institute of Technology)

Information For Mobility-Impaired Visitors

• The P200 dome that houses the formidable 200-inch (5.1-meter) Hale Telescope is at a moderate distance from the parking lot. There is a 1,050-foot (320-meter), slightly uphill, paved walking trail that connects the parking lot with the dome.
• Access to the Visitors Gallery in the P200 dome requires climbing 70 steps. At 9:30 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:30 pm, a staff member will meet those unable to climb the steps, but who do not require a wheelchair, and take them to the Visitors Gallery on a small passenger elevator. We regret that we cannot accommodate wheelchair access to the P200 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.

Steps to the Visitors Gallery inside the P200 dome (Palomar Observatory/California Institute of Technology)