Rancho Palos Verdes observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
Rancho Palos Verdes observatory is a research facility on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in California, built as part of a mid-20th-century push into space-age instrumentation.
About Rancho Palos Verdes observatory
The domed facility was constructed as part of the Palos Verdes Research Park and used to test celestial star tracker designs, technology that helps spacecraft orient themselves by referencing the stars.
Location & getting there
The observatory sits on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in California, United States, overlooking the Pacific coastline.
Visiting Rancho Palos Verdes observatory
No dedicated public observatory currently appears to operate at this location. If you're interested in visiting, search online or check locally for the latest status before making plans.
See your named star from here
Star tracker technology developed on sites like this one relies on the same principle behind stargazing: fixing a location in the sky using coordinates. Name a star and receive its coordinates, or browse the star catalogue to see stars already named.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
