Friday Night Photos Big Ass Telescope Edition
Happy Friday everyone. Welcome to Friday Night Photos your once a week escape from the day to day insanity of the world we live in. Post any photos, memes, music or whatever else you find of interest that helps tune out the madness.
This month the camera club went to the Palomar Observatory located atop Palomar Mountain (5470 ft. elev.) in San Diego's north county. It was a beautiful sunny day with temps in the upper 70s. Along with images of the observatory and telescope I've included images from around the grounds of the observatory.
A little history of the observatory.
https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/about/history.html
Giant Snow Cone - observatory dome
The man who made it happen
The dome shutters
A view northeast
The whole enchilada
Grains of wood
200" mirror and recording instruments
A berry good day
Prime focus cage
Potential Christmas trees
Equipment used to recoat the reflective surface (aluminum) of the mirror about every 2 years.
2000 light years from home - image from the Hale telescope.
Comments
Interesting juxtaposition
of space scopes and berries
the wood grains are enchanting.
Chopped fluidity
Thanks for posting!
Zionism is a social disease
Thank you, Q
Hope you're enjoying your time in Maine.
MAGA
Morons
Are
Governing
America
An eagle nest on a little island across the way
.
it is hard to make out in this shot but there are
two brown lumps in the nest which are the two
little chicks in residence. Ma and Pa are out hunting for lunch.
6/26/26
Zionism is a social disease
Cool
If they're lucky they will get fish for lunch.
MAGA
Morons
Are
Governing
America
Hi Q
It must be nice to relax and observe from an island in Maine. I can see the two shapes in the nest, thanks.
Hi Social
Thanks for the visit. What an amazing achievement that telescope is, and what a great image taken from there. I’m sure it enjoys many cosmic discoveries. Nice that you brought it down to earth with your photos of plant life.
Thank you, Janis
MAGA
Morons
Are
Governing
America
Evening everyone
Greetings from home ...
Have a good weekend
Hi, Janis
Nice variety of images, Janis. Is that a Kereru?
MAGA
Morons
Are
Governing
America
Yes
You're right, it is the Kereru (Wood Pigeon) endemic to NZ, and very friendly. You remembered!
The Rock Pigeons we
have here in the states are also very friendly. Specially if you have food for them.
MAGA
Morons
Are
Governing
America
This is their favourite food
https://www.dreamstime.com/new-zealand-wood-pigeon-puriri-tree-red-berri...
The Palomar is a very revered image to
us NASA brats, Sp.
I have to admit my fave is the one of the galaxy, Still, as others have pointed out, that's an interesting contrast with the plant life here on our kozmik blue planet. Thanks Q for the eagle pic. I couldn't make out the younguns, but the nest is impressive. Sure wish I was in Maine. I got as far as the MA/NH border. I love that bird shot, too, jb. The colors are beautiful, and the photos are your usual painting-like quality. Are you a NZ native? It's a pretty and civilized nation. Not a whole lot of action here in ECFL. Hot and muggy. My storm blog is activated, and the krewe on there is radicalized now. I've been following it for over 12 years, and I've never seen it so up in arms. Why? Climate change and the poor Europeans are frying. Woe to any MAGAs/climate change deniers who stumble on there. So, everyone stay cool and safe. Rec'd!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
I think I meant to let you know my BIL is a retired NASA
scientist from Goddard. He was one of the team on the ozone project using LIDAR to map temperatures and land cover like trees or sand etc.
He invited us several times to watch a launch from Vandenburgh but we couldn't do it. I would have loved it.
We saw the Hubble being re-outfitted in a clean room bay there. So so cool.
ETA: spelling fixes and this:
Nice to hear some of your stories and recollections. I don't think we ever met any of my bil's colleagues.
A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.
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Good morning sp, a day late. Thanks for all the pics,
great photos. When I was a kid, one could camp on locations up on Palomar Mountain, my family did so at least once.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Hi, EL
No such thing as being late to FNP.
The La Jolla Indian reservation is a popular spot to go camping on Palomar Mountain. I've camped there a few times.
MAGA
Morons
Are
Governing
America
Hi, obf
The shear size of a 200" telescope is unbelievable. I have a little 6" Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope that looks like a child's toy compared to the Hale telescope.
MAGA
Morons
Are
Governing
America