Entry No. 53 — the Los Angeles file — filed under: after-dark
Mount Wilson Observatory 60-inch & 100-inch Public Ticket Nights
High above the city on a forested ridge, this historic observatory opens its century-old giant telescopes to small ticketed groups after dark. The 100- and 60-inch instruments are the two largest telescopes in the world dedicated to public viewing, and sessions are kept to small groups. A telescope operator and session director run the night, picking the best objects and weaving in the observatory's history (this is where Hubble proved other galaxies exist).
The story
High above the thick light pollution of the Los Angeles basin, perched on a forested ridge in the Angeles National Forest, sits the mountain peak where modern cosmology was effectively invented. Established in 1904, Mount Wilson Observatory is where astronomer Edwin Hubble used the massive 100-inch Hooker telescope to prove that the Milky Way isn't the entire universe—that other galaxies exist outside our own and are expanding away from us.
While most major institutions turn century-old scientific relics into quiet museum displays behind velvet ropes, Mount Wilson keeps its heavy brass-and-steel beasts fully operational after dark. The 60-inch reflector (first fired up in 1908) and the 100-inch reflector remain the two largest optical telescopes on Earth dedicated exclusively to public viewing. You aren't looking at a digital rendering on a computer screen; you're placing your actual eye against a physical glass eyepiece to capture photons that left distant nebulae millions of years ago.
What it's like
The trip begins with a pitch-black, winding drive up the Angeles Crest Highway into the mountains. Once inside the unheated astronomical domes, a session director and telescope operator use heavy motion controls to position the massive structures toward deep-space objects. You'll spend the night standing in the dark, taking turns scaling tall wooden ladders to reach the high eyepiece. Pack serious cold-weather gear—even in peak summer, high-altitude night air inside an open metal dome drops fast—and remember that public ticket nights sell out almost instantly when released each spring.
The move: Book a 60-inch ticket night, bundle up, and take turns climbing the ladder to peer at nebulae and galaxies through a telescope older than your grandparents.
📍 Before you go Reserved/ticketed only, sells out fast; sessions run spring through fall. The drive up the Angeles Crest is winding and the summit is cold at night even in summer, so bring layers.
- 📍 Mount Wilson (Angeles National Forest)
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Mount Wilson Observatory, Mount Wilson, CA 91023
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- 626 Night Market — Fuel up on street food at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia before making the dark mountain drive up to the observatory.
- Colorado Street Bridge (Suicide Bridge) — Pair a look at deep space with a late-night drive across Pasadena's sweeping 1913 Beaux-Arts span at the foot of the mountains.
- Revenge Of — Match Mount Wilson's real-life astronomical history with a Glassell Park comic shop that built a hidden back room like a sci-fi spaceship interior.
Good to know
What ticket options are available for stargazing?
Mount Wilson offers three public ticket night options between spring and fall: dedicated 60-inch telescope sessions, dedicated 100-inch telescope sessions, and 'Hyper' nights where attendees swap between both giant instruments mid-session.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, advance ticket reservations are strictly required. You cannot purchase tickets at the gate or enter the observatory grounds after dark without a confirmed ticket night booking.
What should I wear for a public night?
Dress in heavy winter layers, including a warm coat, beanie, and closed-toe shoes. The domes must remain unheated to protect the glass optics, so mountain temperatures get severe at night even in midsummer.
How late do the viewing sessions run?
Public ticket nights generally begin around sunset and run deep into the night, typically finishing around 1:00 AM.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-06-23