Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO)—Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history—welcomes the public to the fourth “Saturday Evening Talks & Telescopes” of the season on Saturday August 9 2025.
MWO is honored to present “Planet Nine from Outer Space” a presentation by Dr. Michael E. Brown Professor of Planetary Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology. This lecture will explore the evidence for Planet Nine—a proposed giant planet far beyond Neptune—and the ongoing efforts to prove its existence. Tickets are available here: www.mtwilson.edu/events/talk080925
During the six-month season each “Talks & Telescopes” event runs from 5:30pm to 11:45pm with the “talk” portion of the evening beginning in the Observatory’s Auditorium. The 60+ minute presentation is followed by picnic dining—bring your own or purchase* from a food truck or caterer—and then after the sun goes down stargazing through Mount Wilson’s immense telescopes the largest in the world made available to the public. Additional stargazing around the grounds will be available thanks to members of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society.
Both the 60-inch telescope and the 100-inch—the latter famously used by Edwin Hubble to discover the expanding universe—will be available for viewing the night sky. Priced at $50 this event series offers the most economical stargazing event option on the mountain. Tickets and more information are available on Mount Wilson Observatory’s website here: www.mtwilson.edu/lectures. Advance purchases are highly recommended.
VISITING MWO
The gate to Mount Wilson’s campus opens at 10:00am daily and closes at 5:00pm from early April through November. Entrance to the grounds is free. Visitors can hike gaze at the telescope domes and towers that dot the landscape and take a look at historic Mount Wilson photos and letters in the Museum.
The Cosmic Cafe (www.mtwilson.edu/cosmic-cafe) located above the main parking lot at the Observatory entrance is open on weekends in the spring summer and fall. In addition to traditional menu items such as hot dogs drinks and snacks the Café offers wraps salads and sweet treats from Little Flower.
PARKING
A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00am and 5:00pm. During the week passes are available at locations around Los Angeles. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Canada Flintridge at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway ( https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US). Visit the U.S. Forest Service website for more information about Passes and other locations to buy them: www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass
*For purchases from a food truck or caterer cash is recommended as cell reception on the mountain can be unreliable.
For more information about Visiting Mount Wilson Observatory please visit: www.mtwilson.edu/visiting
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