What to do and see in California, United States: The Best Observatories & Planetariums

View Stars, Planets, Galaxies, Nebulae and even our own Sun through our telescopes. We have a 17" CDK Reflecting Telescope and a 4" APO Refracting telescope in the observatory for you to look through. While waiting your turn at the eyepiece you can view images on a monitor from our 14" SCT telescope outfitted with a special astronomy video camera that is many times more sensitive to light than your eyes. This allows you to see the beautiful colors of stellar nurseries, galaxies and more. We also have a 16" and 6" Dobsonian portable telescopes for you to use and learn about how to use a telescope. We also have an outdoor "Sky Theater" where docents give tours of the constellations outlining them with their laser pointers showing you what is up in the sky during your visit. On the first Saturday of each month we are open from 10am until noon showing you our Sun through our safe solar telescopes. We can show you the sunspots on the photosphere in "white light" and prominences, filaments, and flares in the chromasphere in Hydrogen Alpha light. Look for us on Facebook and YouTube.

Located high above the Los Angeles basin, this observatory offers the best astronomical viewing in America.

A public observatory owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles for the benefit of all. Located in on Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, the Observatory offers a planetarium, exhibits, public telescopes, cafe, bookstore, and the best views of the Los Angeles basin. Admission is free, and visitors may drive directly to the Observatory and park in its lots and roads.

Historic observatory, with the second largest refractor telescope in the world. Open for tours.

Palomar Observatory, located atop Palomar Mountain in north San Diego County, California, is a center of astronomical research owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The Observatory is home to three active research telescopes: the 200-inch (5.1-meter) Hale Telescope, the 48-inch (1.2-meter) Samuel Oschin Telescope, and the 60-inch (1.5-meter) telescope. The research is conducted by Caltech faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and students, as well as by researchers at collaborating institutions. Conceived of almost a hundred years ago, Palomar Observatory has been at the forefront of astronomical research since mid-century. Today, the observatory operates every clear night and is an iconic facility for scientific advancement, instrument development, and student training. 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. Public, guided tours of the 200-inch (5.1-meter) Hale Telescope are available to visitors on the weekends (Saturday and Sunday, start times are 11:00 am and 1:30 pm) spring through fall-typically from the first weekend in April to the last weekend October. The tours are roughly one hour long, and limited-availalbility tickets (sold exclusively on a day-of and first-come, first served basis) are required. Please plan accordingly.

Chabot Space & Science Center inspires and educates students of all ages about our Planet Earth and the Universe. Its historic telescopes and observatory, planetarium, hands-on interactive exhibits, and natural park setting are a place where students, teachers, and the public can imagine, understand, and learn to shape their future through science. Chabot's three large telescopes are open to the public on Friday and Saturday evenings.