Palomar Observatory

Palomar Observatory is an astronomical observatory in San Diego County, California, operated by the California Institute of Technology and its research partners. Its facilities include the 200-inch Hale Telescope.

Hale Telescope: A 200-inch reflecting telescope at Palomar Observatory, named for astronomer George Ellery Hale. This landmark telescope has anchored the observatory’s research since its 1948 dedication.
George Ellery Hale: An American astronomer and telescope builder who led the creation of major observatories, including Palomar. Hale secured support for the observatory and its 200-inch telescope, though he died before completion.
Observational astronomy: The branch of astronomy that gathers and analyzes measurements of celestial objects and phenomena. Palomar’s telescopes produce observations across visible, infrared, and other wavelengths.
Edwin Hubble: An American astronomer whose observations established that galaxies exist beyond the Milky Way and that the universe is expanding. Hubble used the Hale Telescope to study distant galaxies after its completion.
Cosmic distance ladder: A sequence of methods for measuring distances to astronomical objects, extending from nearby stars to remote galaxies. Palomar observations helped calibrate distances to galaxies and refine estimates of cosmic expansion.
Samuel Oschin Telescope: A 48-inch Schmidt telescope at Palomar Observatory used for wide-field astronomical surveys. Its wide field supports surveys that complement the Hale Telescope’s focused observations.
Caltech: A private research university in Pasadena, California, formally known as the California Institute of Technology. Caltech has operated Palomar and shaped its research program since the observatory’s beginnings.
Clyde Tombaugh: An American astronomer who discovered Pluto in 1930 while working at Lowell Observatory. Tombaugh later used Palomar’s 48-inch Schmidt telescope to search for near-Earth asteroids.
Fritz Zwicky: A Swiss-American astronomer who proposed dark matter in galaxy clusters and predicted neutron stars. Zwicky conducted influential supernova and galaxy-cluster research at Palomar.
Dark matter: Matter inferred from its gravitational effects but not detected through emitted or absorbed light. Zwicky’s Palomar studies of the Coma Cluster supplied early evidence for unseen mass.

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