13 replies to this topic

[John Rogers]

The Angeles Crest Highway reached Red Box by late 1934, where the turnoff to Mount Wilson is located.  Prior to this, the Mount Wilson Toll Road served as the primary access route.

 

Around that time, the Mount Wilson Hotel began advertising in local newspapers, offering daily tours of the 100-inch Hooker telescope and free public viewing with the 60-inch telescope on Friday nights. In late 1936, the advertisements expanded to include a 12-inch telescope, available for nightly observing.

 

The hotel was eventually razed in 1966.

 

[John Rogers]

 

Here is a photo of that telescope scanned from a postcard mailed in early 1941.

 

Anyone recognize the manufacturer?

[clamchip]

I think that's a Tinsley.

 

Robert

[southernharry]

Drove up to Mt Wilson in 1970. Here are a couple of photos we took.  Didn't get to do any observing.

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[deSitter]

Drove up to Mt Wilson in 1970. Here are a couple of photos we took.  Didn't get to do any observing.

Most important telescope in history next to the HST and JWST. Proved that "spiral nebulae" were separate "island universes". Ah me, the old terminology was so much classier..

 

-drl

[grif 678]

I would have given anything to have been able to work in one of those observatories back in the 60's, if only mopping the floor. At least I would have been able to look at those monster scopes every day. Have a small cabin neat the observatory, and could go in anytime I wanted, and maybe one of the telescope operators would let me have a peek through one of them occasionally.

[schiefspiegler]

19410422_Mount_Wilson_Hotel_12-inch_LoRes.jpg

 

Here is a photo of that telescope scanned from a postcard mailed in early 1941.

 

Anyone recognize the manufacturer?

That is a Tinsley beyond any doubt. 

[rmorein]

19410422_Mount_Wilson_Hotel_12-inch_LoRes.jpg

 

Here is a photo of that telescope scanned from a postcard mailed in early 1941.

 

Anyone recognize the manufacturer?

They left it out in the weather?

[EJN]

Most important telescope in history next to the HST and JWST. Proved that "spiral nebulae" were separate "island universes". Ah me, the old terminology was so much classier..

 

-drl

 

"The term nebulae offers the values of tradition; the term galaxies, the glamour of romance." 

 

  -- Edwin Hubble, The Realm of the Nebulae

Edited by EJN, 23 February 2025 - 04:16 PM.

[John Rogers]

They left it out in the weather?

Of course.  It never rains in Southern California.

 

I suspect, it was covered each night.  But I am somewhat surprised there is not more information available about this telescope and the Mount Wilson Hotel program.  There was a recent book published by the Griffith Observatory called "Public Observing Los Angeles Style" that makes no mention of the program at the Hotel.

[deSitter]

They left it out in the weather?

I wish you hadn't pointed this out. This is really bugging me now That little ramp thing is clearly made so short people can easily get to the eyepiece. It is mounted on some sort of platform with a guard rail - maybe they just put a canvas cover over the entire thing.

 

There was a guy in Oklahoma (I actually remember his name, E. Ken Owen) who had a 10" Cave on a raised platform, and the whole telescope lived under a fiberglass clamshell. There was an article in S&T about it - it was on the cover. The clamshell opened to the north. There was room to sit on any side of the telescope. It was the bare minimum to qualify as an observatory

 

-drl

Edited by deSitter, 23 February 2025 - 11:27 PM.

[EJN]

I wish you hadn't pointed this out. This is really bugging me now That little ramp thing is clearly made so short people can easily get to the eyepiece. It is mounted on some sort of platform with a guard rail - maybe they just put a canvas cover over the entire thing.

 

There was a guy in Oklahoma (I actually remember his name, E. Ken Owen) who had a 10" Cave on a raised platform, and the whole telescope lived under a fiberglass clamshell. There was an article in S&T about it - it was on the cover. The clamshell opened to the north. There was room to sit on any side of the telescope. It was the bare minimum to qualify as an observatory

 

-drl

https://www.cloudyni...4472-ken-owens/

 

 

[YourNotSirius]

My old man remembers reading that article and then writing to Mr. Owen. He got a nice reply that answered his questions very well. He thinks he still has that letter in a file folder someplace.

 

Q

[Bonco2]

I too communicated  via mail with Mr. Owen.  He sent me some super sharp photo's of Saturn and Mars taken with his 10 inch telescope. The detail was amazing.   Bonco2