From: irwin@iago.caltech.edu (Horowitz, Irwin Kenneth)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Mt. Palomar Info Needed
Date: 8 Jan 1993 16:19 PDT
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: iago.caltech.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

Folks,
	Here is a summary of the policies of Palomar Observatory concerning
tours for individuals and groups.
	First, there is of course, the visitor's gallery at the 200" telescope
as well as the museum/gift shop which is open to the public daily until 4 p.m.
However, for those wishing a more detailed tour, there are three options (only
two of which are generally open to the public).  First, the Observatory has
a regularly scheduled series of tours on the third Saturday of every month.
These tours are generally designed for groups like schools, amateur astronomers
and civic organizations.  For more information, contact the office of Palomar
Observatory.  The address is:
		Palomar Observatory
		105-24 Caltech
		Pasadena, CA  91125
The Saturday tours are limited to groups of 30 people or less.
	Second, the Rueben H. Fleet Museum in San Diego runs a monthly summer
tour of  Palomar.  These tours occur on the Saturday closest to full moon and
this year run from June 5th to October 31st.  These tours include seeing both
the 200" and the 48" Oschin Schmidt telescopes, a dinner and lecture and then
viewing through the 60" telescope for a few hours.  They are run entirely by
the Fleet Museum, and you must contact them for more information.  The person
to contact there is Ms. Lynne Kennedy, the educational coordinator.  The number
at the museum is (619) 238-1233 (press the button for education coordinator).
	Finally, for those of you who have an inside contact connected either
with Palomar or with Caltech astronomy, that individual can arrange with the
assistant director to show you around the observatory (with the permission of
whoever is observing at the 200").  Note...I am not available in the upcoming
future for any such tours.  I MUST finish my thesis this year!  If you have
such a contact here, then ask them if they would be willing to show you around
the Observatory during your visit to Southern California and if they could
arrange with the director and observers for permission for this tour.
	On a separate note...depending on the time of year, the weather at
the observatory can be a concern.  During the summer months, it is generally
quite nice up there, with daytime highs in the 70s or 80s.  In the winter,
the ground is frequently covered in snow, and temperatures are typically in
the 30s or 40s during the day.  The road up to the observatory is your typical
winding mountain road, and drivers should be prepared to drive carefully when
heading up to the observatory.
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Irwin Horowitz                        |
Astronomy Department                  |"Whoever heard of a female astronomer?"
California Institute of Technology    |--Charlene Sinclair, "Dinosaurs"
irwin@iago.caltech.edu                |
ih@deimos.caltech.edu                 |
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Newsgroups: sci.astro