Overview
Visionary astronomer George Ellery Hale founded the Mount Wilson Observatory in 1904, high above Pasadena in Southern California's San Gabriel Mountains. At an elevation of 5,700 feet, with exceptionally stable air and nearly 300 days of clear skies annually, this prime location was deemed the perfect site to investigate the secrets of the universe. With funding from the Carnegie Institute of Washington, by 1917 Hale had constructed the world's first two tower telescopes for study of the sun and the world's two largest reflecting telescopes for study of the stars, ushering in the "New Astronomy" astrophysics. Magnetism outside of Earth, stellar evolution, dark matter, our place in the Milky Way, and Hubble's landmark discovery of our expanding universe are just a few of the spectacular discoveries made by the Mount Wilson Observatory astronomers for more than a century. Today, the observatory is run by the Mount Wilson Institute and is open to the public for tours and nighttime viewing through these same historic telescopes. The authors selected the majority of images from the personal collection of Maggie Sharma, which will be donated to the Mount Lowe Preservation Society, and from the vast archives of that society, of which Michael A. Patris is founder and president.
While major retailers like Amazon may carry Mount Wilson Observatory, we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.
We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.
Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of Mount Wilson Observatory.