Hale Solar Laboratory
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Hale Solar Laboratory is a historic astronomical observatory in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, built in 1923.
About Hale Solar Laboratory
The laboratory belonged to astronomer George Ellery Hale (1868-1938), a pioneering figure in the development of astrophysics in the United States. Hale built the facility after retiring as director of Mount Wilson Observatory, and it was here that he refined the spectrohelioscope, an instrument for detailed observation of the Sun's hydrogen atmosphere.
History
The building was designed by Reginald Davis Johnson, Gordon Kaufmann and Roland Coate in a distinctive blend of Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival styles. It is T-shaped, built of concrete under a tile roof; the stem of the T houses the telescope tower along with Hale's library, office and living quarters. In 1989, the laboratory was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Location & getting there
Hale Solar Laboratory is located in Pasadena, California, close to Hale's better-known Mount Wilson Observatory in the mountains above the city.
Visiting Hale Solar Laboratory
As a private historic landmark, access is limited; check current visiting arrangements before planning a trip.
See your named star from here
George Ellery Hale spent his career studying the Sun from this very site, but Pasadena's skies hold plenty of stars too, including one you've named through Star Register. Find its coordinates in our star catalogue.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
