Palomar Observatory, located atop Palomar Mountain in north San Diego County, California, is a center of astronomical research owned and operated …
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Tripadvisor
4.5/5 · 161 reviews
5-star
38%
4-star
25%
3-star
13%
2-star
12%
1-star
12%
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Feb 15, 2025
The trip up to the observatory is a thrill ride in itself and the temperatures are often 15-20 degrees lower than the valley floor. Bring coats and sweatshirts. Go early as the parking lot definitely…Full review by LodiWineBob
Jul 6, 2024
This is a "skip it" for your family vacation. It's about a 2-hour drive from San Diego up a very winding mountain road....and the views from the road are the highlight! Once you get to the observat…Full review by Stephanie C
Feb 8, 2024
We decided to add this to our itinerary on our San Diego trip as my sons are both into Astrophysics. It is an almost two hour drive from San Diego, but the views from the road up the mountain are sp…Full review by Sharron R
Can the public view the cosmos at the observatory's telescope?
A:
Unfortunately no. Our telescopes are for scientific research purposes and for decades have no longer had eyepieces. To look through telescopes we recommend visiting Griffith …
Unfortunately no. Our telescopes are for scientific research purposes and for decades have no longer had eyepieces. To look through telescopes we recommend visiting Griffith Observatory in LA.
Tickets are $5.00 per person, $3.00 for children (ages 5 through 12) and seniors (age 65 and over), maximum 6 tickets per customer. Tour presentations are unsuitable for children …
Tickets are $5.00 per person, $3.00 for children (ages 5 through 12) and seniors (age 65 and over), maximum 6 tickets per customer. Tour presentations are unsuitable for children under 5 years of age, hence our minimum age requirement.
Will we be able to see what the telescope is looking at in real time? If so, how much time can we spend doing that?
A:
The answer above is correct.There is no real-time viewing through telescope. I might note that you can read about the research that is being done that month, and I found that …
The answer above is correct.There is no real-time viewing through telescope. I might note that you can read about the research that is being done that month, and I found that information fascinating, just learning about how many countries sent research teams and what they were exploring.
Are there docent led tours on weekdays in June? If so, what time?
A:
This is on their website: In 2018, the guided tours will be offered on weekends starting Sunday April 1 until Sunday October 28. The tours are roughly one hour long, and limited …
This is on their website: In 2018, the guided tours will be offered on weekends starting Sunday April 1 until Sunday October 28. The tours are roughly one hour long, and limited-availalbility tickets (sold exclusively on a day-of and first-come, first served basis) are required. Please plan accordingly.
Hello Gary G. I am interesting in visiting the Palomar Observatory, and would like to look through the telescope. I would love to see space close up, and though I have visited observatories before, I have never got to peek at the sky. What day/time or occasion can I actually love through the telescope? Thanks, So much Irene
A:
Hi Irene. I'm afraid you cannot. In fact, no one can look through it anymore since all eyepieces were removed decades ago. Hardly any research telescope allows anyone look …
Hi Irene. I'm afraid you cannot. In fact, no one can look through it anymore since all eyepieces were removed decades ago. Hardly any research telescope allows anyone look through it (astronomers work behind computers since the invention of the CCDs). However, there are amateur groups in just about every city that will have star parties and allow the public to look through their telescopes.
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