Palomar Observatory
Palomar Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology, just 54 miles (88 km) northeast of Carlsbad, California. Research here is pursued by a broad community of astronomers from Caltech, as well as other domestic and international partner institutions. Most visitors come to see the famous 200-inch (5.1-meter) Hale Telescope — for decades the largest effective telescope in operation — and enjoy visiting the museum and taking guided tours of the facility. Even camping is available over at the Observatory Campground, a no-frills campsite offering tent pitches, access to forested trails and coin-operated showers just 2 miles (4 km) from the Observatory. For more information, visit online or call 760-742-2119.