Lick Observatory, UCO/Lick, San Jose California
Posted by: 
monkeykat
N 37° 20.516 W 121° 38.544
10S E 620253 N 4133669
Lick Observatory is located on 4200' Mt. Hamilton in the Diablo Range, east of San Jose, California. Largest among its nine research-grade telescopes is the Shane 3-meter Reflector, active since 1960.
Waymark Code: WM136Z
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 12/31/2006
Views: 68
The road to the Lick Observatory is a winding 20 mile trek featuring seemingly endless switchbacks and sharp corners. It took me about an hour to drive up and back down it. Be sure to stop for gas at the base of the mountain as there is none on the summit. I also got a mild case of motion sickness and had o pull over for a minute or two on the way down. :)
There are approximately 40 families living on top of the mountain in dorms nearby the observatories, and the telescopes are in use nightly. San Jose is currently undergoing a study with the observatory to look into installing new city street lights that will cut down on glare and aide the observatory in night viewing.
Be sure to dress for the weather. I t is quite windy on top of the peak, and can easily be 20 degrees cooler than the valley. the day I went in May it was actually quite warm though.
And now on to the historical stuff, much of which is located on the web page:
The legacy of the eccentric California millionaire James Lick, the Observatory was founded in 1888 and has been part of the University of California ever since. Lick Observatory has grown to keep pace with the changing demands of astronomy, and, after more than a century of operation, remains among the most productive research observatories in the world. UC astronomers, using the telescopes on Mt. Hamilton have contributed to virtually every area of optical and infrared astronomy.
Lick Observatory is open to daytime visitors nearly every day of the year. The Observatory is closed to the public on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and at night after 5:00pm.
Visitors are also invited to take a short walk to the Shane Dome to view the 120-inch Reflector from the Visitors’ Gallery. Displays explain the Shane reflector, one of the major telescopes used to discover planets outside of the solar system.
Hours
Mon - Fri: 12:30pm - 5:00pm
Sat - Sun: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas
Observatory Purpose: Research
Optical / Infrared Telescopes?: Yes
Radio Telescopes?: No
Open to the Public?: Yes
Public Viewing Allowed?: Yes
Active Observatory?: Active
Number of Telescopes or Antennas: 6 to 10
Site URL: [Web Link]
Year Dedicated or Opened: 1888
Altitude (meters): 1280
Solar Telescopes?: Not listed
Is this a Club Observatory?: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:Note the time of day of your visit, and your own photo of your favorite part of the observatory. This might be the view from the observatory, picture of your favorite building or favorite exhibit. (Be mindful of flash photography rules!)
If you participated in an observing session, let everyone know what you saw!