Lick Observatory Summer Visitors Program

Great Lick Refractor Observing End

Observing images courtesy of Elinor Gates.

2011 Programs

Friday, June 24
Doors open: 8:00pm
Start event: 8:30pm
Speaker: Eliza Kempton, UCSC
Talk: "A Place Like Home?: Revealing the Atmospheres of Super-Earths Orbiting Distant Stars"

Friday, July 8
Doors open: 8:00pm
Start event: 8:30pm
Speaker: Angie Wolfgang, UCSC
Talk: "The Mysterious, The Exotic, The Mind-blowingly Awesome: The Exoplanet Guest List for the Craziest Party in the Galaxy

Friday, July 22
Doors open: 8:00pm
Start event: 8:30pm
Speaker: Greg Laughlin, UCSC
Talk: "The Galactic Planetary Census"

Friday, August 5
Doors open: 7:30pm
Start event: 8:00pm
Speaker: Sandra Faber, UC Santa Cruz
Talk: "Cosmic Wisdom: An Astronomical Look at Human History...and our Future"

Friday, August 19
Doors open: 7:30pm
Start event: 8:00pm
Speaker: Aaron Barth, UC Irvine
Talk: "Supermassive Black Holes in Nearby Galaxies: The View from Lick Observatory"

Friday, August 26
Doors open: 7:30pm
Start event: 8:00pm
Speaker: Elinor Gates, Lick Observatory
Talk: "Untwinkling the Stars: Improving our View of the Universe with Adaptive Optics"

 

UCO home > Public Information > Music of the Spheres Concerts

Observe Through the Telescopes

Lick Observatory hosts a Summer Visitors Program (SVP), inviting the public to observe through both the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor and Nickel 40-inch Reflecting Telescope. Each evening also features two speakers, who present programs even if clouds or fog prohibit viewing.

Lick astronomers present multimedia lectures on their research or topics of current interest--see 2011 talk subjects below. A "History of Lick Observatory" talk is also presented. Local amateur astronomers outside the buildings provide additional telescopes and informal astronomy discussions.

Program begins with the first talk at sunset. Observing begins when it gets dark and continues until everyone has had the opportunity to view through both telescopes. Because of the late hours and the need for reasonable public behavior, attendance is not advisable for most children under 8 years old.

Sign Up on 2012 SVP/Music of the Spheres Mailing List

Public Observing at 36-inch Refractor

Ticket Information

2012 Tickets will be available in April or May:

Ticket price is $5.00, which includes service fee. Tickets are offered on a first-come first-served basis and sell out quickly.

Directions to Mt. Hamilton

Lick Observatory is located on the summit of Mt. Hamilton in the Diablo Range east of San Jose. To get there from Hwys 101, 280, or 680, take the Alum Rock Avenue exit from Interstate 680. Go east onto Alum Rock Avenue. Turn right onto Mt. Hamilton Road (California Route 130). Allow about one hour from San Jose, and please drive carefully as the road is good, but winding.

From the east, take Interstate 580 west to Interstate 680 south. Then follow the directions above.

Alternatively, you may take take California Route 130 to Mt. Hamilton from the east, but please allow about 1-3/4 hours from Interstate 5 to reach the Observatory. The road is long and winding, but well-maintained. Take the Diablo Grande Parkway exit off Interstate 5, heading west (away from Patterson). Take the first right on Puerto del Canyon Road (toward Frank Raines Park). Look carefully for this turn because there is not much signage. At the Junction Cafe, turn left to stay on California Route 130.

Keep in mind that at 4209 feet, evenings on Mt. Hamilton can be cool, so bring a sweater or coat. We provide wheelchair access to the lectures and to the 36-inch telescope, but not to the Nickel telescope. There is no gas station at the Observatory. Parking is limited so please car pool, if possible.

Area map here courtesy of Mapquest

Print-friendly area map (pdf)

Local map here

Print-friendly local map (pdf)

For more details, call 408-274-5061, between 12:30 and 5:00 pm, or email giftshop@ucolick.org