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Big Dipper from the 60" Telescope, Mt. Wilson Observatory, California

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Kim Burtnyk

Free Account, South Pasadena

Big Dipper from the 60" Telescope, Mt. Wilson Observatory, California

While enjoying an evening of observing at the historic 60" telescope at Mt. Wilson Observatory I noticed that the Big Dipper was perfectly oriented in the slit of the dome with the telescope silently tracking the skies above. With a 20s exposure, the dim red lights in the dome (that are enough to help you walk around but don't ruin your night vision) brilliantly illuminated the struts of the telescope itself and the interior of the dome, forming a stark contrast of the dark blue/black sky outside.

Observing with the 60" telescope is an incredible experience. At the moment, this instrument (seeing first light in 1908, and funded by Andrew Carnegie) is the largest telescope in the world devoted entirely to public observing.