One of UCO's major functions is operating Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton

Visiting Lick Observatory

The public is invited to visit Lick Observatory

Mon - Fri: 12:30pm - 5:00pm
Sat - Sun: 10:00am - 5:00pm

Closed Thanksgiving & Dec. 24-25. Open all other days!

Behind the Scenes

Lick Observatory is primarily a research institution. Here's closer look at what you might not see when you visit.

Offsite Observatory Links

HamCam "Best of" Gallery
Daily images from November 2006 hosted by Flickr, may be viewed as slideshow
Visitor Information from HVAG
Thanks to Halls Valley Astronomical Group for their volunteer help at our Summer Visitors Programs
Virtual Tour of Mt. Hamilton
Courtesy of Don Irving; see XPLORE help page for navigational tips

Light Pollution

How can the lighting needs of the Santa Clara Valley be met while preserving the position of Lick Observatory at the forefront of astronomical research?

Lick Observatory's 3-m Shane Telescope turns 50 this year! The 3-m is dedicated to former Lick Observatory Director Donald Shane, who oversaw much of its design and construction. When commissioned in Fall 1959, it was the second-largest reflector in the world. Its adaptable design and the skill of the UCO/Lick Engineering shops have kept the 3-m's instrumentation current throughout the years. It is still used nearly every night of the year for research.

Logo by John Simon

UCO Info & Services

More Bay Area Astronomy

List of public astronomy programs in the San Francisco & Monterey Bay Areas