Mount Wilson Observatory

Founded in December 1904 by George Ellery Hale and funded by the Carnegie Institution, the Mount Wilson Observatory quickly became one of the 20th century's major astronomical research centers. Located just north of Los Angeles high atop the San Gabriel Mountains, the observatory took full advantage of Southern California's clear nights and uniquely steady air. The observatory's 60" telescope completed in 1908 was the largest then in existence. In 1917, another Mount Wilson telescope, 100" in diameter, claimed that title. Hale was joined at Mount Wilson by a gifted group of earlier astrophysicists. Walter Adams, George Willis Ritchey, Francis Pease, Ferdinand Ellerman, and Edwin Hubble studied at the observatory, making important discoveries concerning sunspots, the composition of stars, and the architecture of the universe.

From the description of Legal papers of Mount Wilson Observatory, 1903-1938. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 714363009

Mount Wilson Observatory, a solar observatory located in Mount Wilson, Calif., was established in 1904. The name was changed to the Mount Wilson Solar Observatory in 1908 and to Mount Wilson Observatory in 1919. The Palomar Observatory, planned since 1928, was dedicated on June 3, 1948. Earlier on April 1, 1948, a plan became effective for the joint operation of the two observatories under the name Mount Wilson and Palomar Observatories under the direction of the Cagnegie Institution of Washington.

From the description of General information by and about the Mount Wilson Observatory. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 77066455