Griffith Planetarium
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Griffith Observatory is an
observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...
in Los Angeles, California on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. It commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin including
Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is ...
to the southeast,
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...
to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. The observatory is a popular tourist attraction with a close view of the
Hollywood Sign The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Spelling ...
and an extensive array of space and science-related displays. It is named after its benefactor,
Griffith J. Griffith Griffith Jenkins Griffith (January 4, 1850 – July 6, 1919) was a Welsh-born American industrialist and philanthropist. After amassing a significant fortune from a mining syndicate in the 1880s, Griffith donated to the City of Los Angeles whic ...
. Admission has been free since the observatory's opening in 1935, in accordance with the benefactor's will. Over 7 million people have been able to view through the 12-inch (30.5 cm)
Zeiss Zeiss or Zeiß may refer to: People *Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), German optician and entrepreneur *Emil Zeiß (1833–1910), German Protestant minister and painter Companies *Carl Zeiss AG, German manufacturer of optics, industrial measurem ...
refractor A refracting telescope (also called a refractor) is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens (optics), lens as its objective (optics), objective to form an image (also referred to a dioptrics, dioptric telescope). The refracting telescope d ...
since the observatory's 1935 opening; this is the most people to have viewed through any telescope.


History

On December 16, 1896, of land surrounding the observatory was donated to the City of Los Angeles by
Griffith J. Griffith Griffith Jenkins Griffith (January 4, 1850 – July 6, 1919) was a Welsh-born American industrialist and philanthropist. After amassing a significant fortune from a mining syndicate in the 1880s, Griffith donated to the City of Los Angeles whic ...
.A History of Griffith Observatory
. Retrieved on 2014-12-11.
In his will Griffith donated funds to build an observatory, exhibit hall, and
planetarium A planetarium ( planetariums or ''planetaria'') is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation. A dominant feature of most planetarium ...
on the donated land. Griffith's objective was to make astronomy accessible to the public, as opposed to the prevailing idea that observatories should be located on remote mountaintops and restricted to scientists.Harnisch, Larry. (2013, February 25)
''A cosmic gift to L.A.''
The Los Angeles Times: retrieved 2013-02-26.
Griffith drafted detailed specifications for the observatory. In drafting the plans, he consulted with Walter Sydney Adams, the future director of Mount Wilson Observatory, and
George Ellery Hale George Ellery Hale (June 29, 1868 – February 21, 1938) was an American solar astronomer, best known for his discovery of magnetic fields in sunspots, and as the leader or key figure in the planning or construction of several world-lea ...
, who founded (with Andrew Carnegie) the first astrophysical telescope in Los Angeles. As a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, construction began on June 20, 1933, using a design developed by architects
John C. Austin John Corneby Wilson Austin (February 13, 1870 – September 3, 1963) was an architect and civic leader who participated in the design of several landmark buildings in Southern California, including the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles City Hall, ...
and Frederic Morse Ashley (1870-1960), based on preliminary sketches by
Russell W. Porter Russell Williams Porter (December 13, 1871 – February 22, 1949) was an American artist, engineer, amateur astronomer and Arctic explorer. He was a pioneer in the field of “cutaway illustration" and is sometimes referred to as the "founder" or ...
. The observatory and accompanying exhibits were opened to the public on May 14, 1935, as the country's third planetarium. In its first five days of operation the observatory logged more than 13,000 visitors. Dinsmore Alter was the museum's director during its first years. The building combines Greek and Beaux-Arts influences, and the exterior is embellished with the Greek key pattern. During World War II, the planetarium was used to train pilots in celestial navigation. The planetarium was again used for this purpose in the 1960s to train Apollo program astronauts for the first lunar missions.


Griffith Observatory Foundation

Griffith Observatory Foundation was chartered in 1978 as Friends Of The Observatory. It was founded by Debra Griffith and Harold Griffith (the grandson of the observatory's benefactor) with Dr. E.C. Krupp (the current Observatory Director) and a small group of dedicated partners. The foundation supports the observatory in its mission of public astronomy and advocated the restoration and expansion of the observatory. The foundation continues to promote the observatory as an agent of science literacy, education, and experiential astronomy.


Renovation and expansion

The observatory closed on January 6, 2002 for renovation and a major expansion of exhibit space. It reopened to the public on November 2, 2006, retaining its Art Deco exterior. The $93 million renovation, paid largely by a public bond issue, restored the building, as well as replaced the aging planetarium dome. The building was expanded underground, with completely new exhibits, a café, gift shop, and the new Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater. A wildfire in the hills came dangerously close to the observatory on May 10, 2007. On May 25, 2008, the Observatory offered visitors live coverage of the '' Phoenix'' landing on Mars. On October 15, 2017, brush fires approached the Observatory Trail, but were extinguished before causing any structural damage. On July 10, 2018, the Griffith Observatory was evacuated after a brush fire burned 25 acres and damaged cars but was extinguished before it damaged any buildings.
Ed Krupp Edwin Charles Krupp (born November 18, 1944) is an American astronomer, researcher, author, and popularizer of science. He is an internationally recognized expert in the field of archaeoastronomy, the study of how ancient cultures viewed the sky ...
has been the director of the Observatory since 1974. He has been responsible for updating the technology and the building for over 45 years. File:Observatory dusk.jpg, Side view of the Observatory in 2007 after renovations File:Griffith Observatory P4060247.jpg, Griffith Observatory during dawn File:Los Angeles Pollution.jpg, Griffith Observatory and downtown LA skyline


Exhibits

The first exhibit visitors encountered in 1935 was the
Foucault pendulum The Foucault pendulum or Foucault's pendulum is a simple device named after French physicist Léon Foucault, conceived as an experiment to demonstrate the Earth's rotation. A long and heavy pendulum suspended from the high roof above a circular a ...
, which was designed to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. The exhibits also included a 12-inch (305mm)
Zeiss Zeiss or Zeiß may refer to: People *Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), German optician and entrepreneur *Emil Zeiß (1833–1910), German Protestant minister and painter Companies *Carl Zeiss AG, German manufacturer of optics, industrial measurem ...
refracting telescope in the east dome, a triple-beam
coelostat A solar telescope is a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun. Solar telescopes usually detect light with wavelengths in, or not far outside, the visible spectrum. Obsolete names for Sun telescopes include heliograph and photoheliograph ...
(solar telescope) in the west dome, and a thirty-eight foot relief model of the moon's north polar region. Griffith requested that the observatory include a display on evolution which was accomplished with the Cosmochron exhibit which included a narration from Caltech Professor Chester Stock and an accompanying slide show. The evolution exhibit existed from 1937 to the mid-1960s. Also included in the original design was a planetarium under the large central dome. The first shows covered topics including the Moon, worlds of the Solar System, and eclipses. The planetarium theater was renovated in 1964 and a Mark IV Zeiss projector was installed. The Café at the End of the Universe, an homage to
Restaurant at the End of the Universe ''The Restaurant at the End of the Universe'' is the second book in the ''Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' comedy science fiction "trilogy" by Douglas Adams, and is a sequel. It was originally published by Pan Books as a paperback in 1980 ...
, is one of the many cafés run by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. One wall inside the building is covered with the largest astronomically accurate image ever constructed ( long by high), called "The Big Picture", depicting the Virgo Cluster of galaxies; visitors can explore the highly detailed image from within arm's reach or through telescopes away. In 2006 the 1964-vintage Zeiss Mark IV star projector was replaced with a Zeiss Mark IX Universarium. The former planetarium projector is part of the underground exhibit on ways in which humanity has visualized the skies.
Centered in the Universe ''Centered in the Universe'' is a fulldome presentation that premiered the evening of October 29, 2006, at the "Galactic Gala," which marked the reopening of the renovated Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. The 33-minute planetarium program uti ...
features a high-resolution immersive video projected by an innovative laser system developed by
Evans and Sutherland Evans & Sutherland is a pioneering American computer firm in the computer graphics field. Its current products are used in digital projection environments like planetariums. Its simulation business, which it sold to Rockwell Collins, sold products ...
Corporation, along with a short night sky simulation projected by the Zeiss Universarium. A team of animators worked more than two years to create the 30-minute program. Actors, holding a glowing orb, perform the presentation, under the direction of Chris Shelton. Tickets for the show are purchased separately at the box office within the observatory. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Children under 5 are free, but are admitted to only the first planetarium show of the day. Only members of the observatory's support group, Friends Of The Observatory, may reserve tickets for the planetarium show. The observatory is split up into six sections: The Wilder Hall of the Eye, the Ahmanson Hall of the Sky, the W. M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda, the Cosmic Connection, the Gunther Depths of Space Hall, and the Edge of Space Mezzanine. The Wilder Hall of the Eye, located in the east wing of the main level focuses on astronomical tools like telescopes and how they evolved over time so people can see further into space. Interactive features there include a Tesla coil and a "Camera Obscura", which uses mirrors and lenses to focus light onto a flat surface. The Ahmanson Hall of the Sky, located in the west wing, focuses on objects that are normally found in the sky, like the Sun and Moon. The main centerpiece of this section is a large solar telescope projecting images of the Sun, using a series of mirrors called coelostats. Exhibits here include a periodic table of the elements, a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and several alcoves showing exhibits about topics like day and night, the paths of the Sun and stars, the seasons, the phases of the Moon, tides, and eclipses. The W. M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda features several Hugo Ballin murals on the ceiling and upper walls restored since 1934, a Foucault pendulum that demonstrates the Earth's rotation, and a small exhibit dedicated to Griffith J. Griffith, after whom the observatory is named. The Cosmic Connection is a 150 ft long hallway connecting the main building and the underground exhibition areas (see below) that depicts the history of the universe, and dramatizes the amount of time that has passed from the Big Bang to the present day using, hundreds of individual pieces of astronomy-related jewelry. The Gunther Depths of Space Hall is the lower level of the observatory, dominated by "The Big Picture," and scale models of the Solar System. The planets (including dwarf planet Pluto) are shown relative to the size of the Sun, which is represented by the diameter of the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater. Below each planet are listed facts, as well as scales indicating a person's weight on planets having a solid surface (or weight at an altitude where atmospheric pressure would equal one
bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...
otherwise). In addition, beneath the Earth's model, there is a small room containing a large model Earth globe, an older Zeiss planetarium projector, and a set of seismograph rolls, including one tracking room motion caused by occupants. The other rolls are attached to seismographs monitoring movement at the bedrock level, and indicate actual seismic activity. On the north wall of the Depths of Space is "The Big Picture", a by photograph (the largest astronomical image in the world) showing a portion of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies at an angular scale of 0.1 degree per foot. This image was taken over the course of 11 nights by the 48-inch Samuel Oschin telescope at Palomar Mountain. There is also a bronze statue of Albert Einstein sitting on a bench in the Depths of Space. Einstein is holding his index finger about in front of his eyes, to illustrate the visual area of space that is captured in The Big Picture. The Edge of Space Mezzanine, which overlooks the Depths of Space Hall, focuses more on astronomy related topics that involve celestial bodies much closer to Earth, with exhibits including meteorite displays, an asteroid impact simulator, cloud and spark chambers, a large globe of the Moon, and telescopes that allow inspection of The Big Picture from a distance.


Tesla coil

On display at the Observatory is a large Tesla coil, named for its inventor, Nikola Tesla. Dubbed "GPO-1", it is one of a pair which were built in 1910 by Earle Ovington. Ovington, who would go on to fame as an aviator, ran a company which built high voltage generators for medical X-ray and electrotherapy devices. In public demonstrations of his generators, the spectacular displays drew crowds. Ovington designed the Observatory's coil to surpass a coil made by Elihu Thomson in 1893 which generated a 64-inch spark. ( Tesla had secretly produced much larger sparks in 1899.) The project caught the attention of an
Edison Electric Illuminating Company The Edison Illuminating Company was established by Thomas Edison on December 17, 1880, to construct electrical generating stations, initially in New York City. The company was the prototype for other local illuminating companies that were establish ...
official, who offered $1,000 if the coil were displayed at an upcoming electrical show in
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
, with the stipulation that the machine would produce sparks not less than ten feet long. The machine, dubbed the ''Million Volt Oscillator'' was installed in the band balcony overlooking the arena. At the top of each hour the lights in the main hall were shut off, and sparks would shoot from the copper ball atop the coil to a matching coil 122 inches away, or to a wand held by an assistant. The chief engineer of the
General Electric Company The General Electric Company (GEC) was a major British industrial conglomerate involved in consumer and defence electronics, communications, and engineering. The company was founded in 1886, was Britain's largest private employer with over 250 ...
estimated that the discharges were at least 1.3 million volts. Ovington, who died in 1936, gave the matching Tesla coils to his old electrotherapy colleague Frederick Finch Strong, who in 1937 donated them to Griffith Observatory. The Observatory had room to exhibit only one of the pair. By this time the machine was missing parts, so Observatory staffer Leon Hall restored it with the notable assistance of Hollywood special effects expert Kenneth Strickfaden who designed the special effects for '' Frankenstein'' (1931) among many other movies.


''Astronomers Monument''

The ''Astronomers Monument'' is a large outdoor concrete sculpture on the front lawn of the Observatory that pays homage to six of the greatest astronomers of all time: Hipparchus (about 150 BC); Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543); Galileo Galilei (1564–1642);
Johannes Kepler Johannes Kepler (; ; 27 December 1571 – 15 November 1630) was a German astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, natural philosopher and writer on music. He is a key figure in the 17th-century Scientific Revolution, best known for his laws ...
(1571–1630); Isaac Newton (1642–1727); and William Herschel (1738–1822). Soon after the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) began in December 1933, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Park Commission, PWAP commissioned a sculpture project on the grounds of the Griffith Observatory which was under construction. Using a design by local artist
Archibald Garner Lorraine Archibald “Archie” Garner (February 24, 1904 – May 7, 1969) was an American sculptor. During the New Deal he was commissioned by the Public Works of Art Project and Treasury Section of Painting and Sculpture to create several nota ...
and materials donated by the Women's' Auxiliary of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Garner and five other artists
Roger Noble Burnham Roger Noble Burnham (August 10, 1876 – March 14, 1962) was an American sculptor and teacher. He is best remembered for creating Tommy Trojan, ''The Trojan'' (1930), the unofficial mascot of the University of Southern California. Life and caree ...
, Djey El Djey (1905-1980, real name Djey Owens), Gordon Newell (1905–1998),
George Stanley Colonel George Francis Gillman Stanley (July 6, 1907September 13, 2002) was a Canadian historian, author, soldier, teacher, public servant, and designer of the Canadian flag. Early life and education George F.G. Stanley was born in Calgary, Alb ...
(creator of the famous Oscar statuette presented at the Academy Awards), and
Arnold Foerster Arnold may refer to: People * Arnold (given name), a masculine given name * Arnold (surname), a German and English surname Places Australia * Arnold, Victoria, a small town in the Australian state of Victoria Canada * Arnold, Nova Scotia Un ...
(1878–1943) sculpted and cast the concrete monument and figures.Millier, Arthur. "Art Withstands Scrutiny of Hard-Boiled Politicians: Planetarium Obelisk, Park Fountain, Other, Massive Works Continue Under F.E.R.A." ''Los Angeles Times'', Jun 03, 1934, pp. 2''.'' Each artist was responsible for sculpting one astronomer: Stanley did Newton, Garner sculpted Copernicus, Newell was responsible for Kepler, etc. (The attributions for Hipparchus and Galileo are unclear; Burnham may have done the Hershel figure.) According to the ''Los Angeles Times'' art critic
Arthur Millier Arthur Millier (1893 – March 30, 1975) was a British-born American painter, etcher, printmaker, and art critic. He was the art critic for the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1926 to 1958. His work is in the permanent collections of many museums in th ...
in 1934, the “original idea” was Foerster’s, and he was “responsible for the delicate engineering entailed in pouring a forty-foot concrete shaft.” The monument is topped with an
armillary sphere An armillary sphere (variations are known as spherical astrolabe, armilla, or armil) is a model of objects in the sky (on the celestial sphere), consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centered on Earth or the Sun, that represent lines of ...
, originally concrete, replaced with a bronze piece 1991. On November 25, 1934, almost six months prior to the opening of the Observatory on May 14, 1935, a celebration took place to mark completion of the ''Astronomers Monument''. The only "signature" on the ''Astronomers Monument'' is "PWAP 1934" referring to the program which funded the project and the year it was completed.


Visiting

Admission to the building and grounds of Griffith Observatory is free of charge. Planetarium shows at the Observatory are offered eight times a day on weekdays and ten times a day on weekends. A nominal fee is charged for admission to the planetarium shows. As long as the weather permits, the Observatory offers free public telescope viewing every night the observatory is open - usually beginning at 7:00 p.m. This includes the historic 12” Zeiss Refracting Telescope on the roof, and up to four portable telescopes placed outside offering views of visible celestial objects for the night. At 9:30 p.m., the doors to the Zeiss dome close, and lines for the portable telescopes outside stop allowing guests into the queues - though the lines may close earlier on the busier nights. In poor weather, the roof may be closed to the public, but if still accessible under overcast skies, the Zeiss Telescope can still be visited as an exhibit during viewing hours. There is a small parking lot next to the Observatory, plus more spaces along Western Canyon Rd, which require payment of $8–10 an hour, depending on the season. During busier times, the roads can get congested and limit access to the top.http://www.griffithobservatory.org/visiting/directions.html#pay, department=Griffith Park Observatory, publisher= Los Angeles, access-date=4 April 2017 The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) operates daily low cost DASH Observatory public bus service from the Vermont/Sunset Metro Red Line station to the Observatory, including a stop at the nearby Greek Theater, which can be used as a free parking area when there are no concerts. The observatory is closed on Mondays. There are photo opportunities and scenery at and around the Observatory, with views of the Pacific Ocean, the
Hollywood Sign The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Spelling ...
and
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.


Filming location


Film

The observatory was featured in two major sequences of the
James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, ''Rebel Without a Cause' ...
film '' Rebel Without a Cause'' (1955), which helped to make it an international emblem of Los Angeles. A bust of Dean was subsequently placed at the west side of the grounds. It has also appeared in a number of other movies, including: * ''
The Phantom Empire ''The Phantom Empire'' is a 1935 American Western serial film directed by Otto Brower and B. Reeves Eason and starring Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, and Betsy King Ross.Magers 2007, p. 21. This 12-chapter Mascot Pictures serial combined the Wes ...
'' (1935) * '' Dick Tracy Returns'' (1938) * '' Phantom from Space'' (1953) * ''
Tobor the Great ''Tobor the Great'' (a.k.a. ''Tobor'') is a 1954 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced by Richard Goldstone, directed by Lee Sholem, and starring Charles Drake, Karin Booth, and Billy Chapin. The film wa ...
'' (1954) * ''
Teen-Age Crime Wave ''Teen-Age Crime Wave'' (aka ''Teenage Crime Wave'') is a 1955 American juvenile delinquency film noir crime film directed by Fred F. Sears and starring Tommy Cook (actor), Tommy Cook and Molly McCart. It was released by Columbia Pictures. The pl ...
'' (1955) * '' War of the Colossal Beast'' (1958) * ''
The Cosmic Man ''The Cosmic Man'' is a 1959 independently made black-and-white science fiction film, directed by Herbert S. Greene and produced by Robert A. Terry. The film stars John Carradine, Bruce Bennett and Angela Greene. The narrative concerns an extra ...
'' (1959) * '' The Spy with My Face'' (1964) * ''The Split'', a 1968 heist film * ''
Flesh Gordon ''Flesh Gordon'' is a 1974 American sex comedy feature film serving as a spoof of Universal Pictures first (of three) ''Flash Gordon'' serial films from the 1930s. The film was produced by Walter R. Cichy, Bill Osco, and Howard Ziehm. It was co ...
'' (1974) * '' Midnight Madness'' (1980) * ''
The Terminator ''The Terminator'' is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whos ...
'' (1984) * '' Back to the Future'' (1985) * '' Dragnet'' (1987) *The tunnel entrance to the Observatory on Mount Hollywood Drive is the entrance to Toontown in the movie '' Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' (1988). * '' Earth Girls Are Easy'' (1988) * '' Back to the Future Part II'' (1989) * '' The Rocketeer'' (1991) * ''
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'' (1995) * ''
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'' (1995) * '' The People vs. Larry Flynt'' (1996) * '' The End of Violence'' (1997) * ''
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'' (1999) * ''
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'' (1999
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) * '' Queen of the Damned'' (2002) * '' Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'' (2003) * '' Transformers'' (2007 live-action film) * '' Yes Man'' (2008) * '' Terminator Salvation'' (2009) * '' Valentine's Day'' (2010) (In the opening scene of credits in the theater version a quick shot of the Observatory is shown) * '' Friends with Benefits'' (2011) * '' Love and Mercy'' (2014) * '' McFarland, USA'' (2015) Final cross-country race winds past the Observatory * '' San Andreas'' (2015) (It is seen briefly in a shot of L.A.) * '' Terminator Genisys'' (2015) * '' La La Land'' (2016) * ''
Sandy Wexler ''Sandy Wexler'' is a 2017 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill and written by Dan Bulla, Paul Sado and Adam Sandler. The film stars Sandler, Jennifer Hudson, Kevin James, Terry Crews, Rob Schneider, Colin Quinn, Nick Swardson, Lamorne M ...
'' (2017) * '' Under the Silver Lake'' (2018) * '' Hotel Artemis'' (2018) (It is seen briefly in the opening sequence of the movie in a news report. The observatory appears to be on fire) * '' Elvis'' (2022)


Television

The Observatory has appeared in episodes of the following TV shows: * '' 24'' ("Day 1 3:00–4:00 pm"; aired on March 19, 2002) * '' 90210'' (location shots of the Observatory many times) * ''
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'' (2021 CBS special; concert portion filmed at Observatory) * '' Adventures of Superman'' (first episode, as Jor-El's laboratory on Superman's home planet Krypton; some other episodes, as the Metropolis observatory) * ''
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'' ("The Coup") * '' Agent Carter'' Season 2 episode 2: "A View in the Dark", January 2016 * ''
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," with Angel wearing a red jacket in homage to James Dean's ''Rebel Without a Cause'' character). * '' Angie Tribeca'' (Season 4 Episode 9 "Irrational Treasures") * '' Archer'' (features prominently in the 2017, season 8 episode "Archer Dreamland: Sleepers Wake") * '' Beverly Hills, 90210'' ("Rebel with a Cause") * ''
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'' (in animated form in "The Telescope", "
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”, “A Horse Walks into Rehab”, and is prominently featured in Season 6's opening credits) * ''
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'' (episode " Shadow") * '' Brothers and Sisters'' ("The Road Ahead") * '' Cannon'' Season 4 episode 22: "Vengeance" March 1975 * '' CHiPs'' * '' Criminal Minds'' ("Nanny Dearest") * ''
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Observatory modeled on Griffith Observatory.) * '' Dragnet'' ("The LSD Story" aka "Blueboy" episode) * '' Episodes'' * ''
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'' Season 2, episode 8 * '' Honey West'' ("The Abominable Snowman") * ''
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'', Part Three of the trilogy ''City Under Siege'' * '' In the Heat of the Night'' ("Just a Country Boy") * '' Jonas'' (Date Expectations) * ''
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'' on E! shows shots of Griffith Observatory on a regular basis. * '' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' (appears at the beginning of the opening title sequence, 2009 to 2015) * ''
Logan's Run ''Logan's Run'' is a science fiction novel by American writers William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, the novel depicts a dystopic Malthusianism future society in which both population and the consumption of resource ...
'' (episode 10 "Futurepast" January 1978) * '' Lucifer'' (ending of season 3 bonus episode "Once Upon a Time") * '' MacGyver'' (pilot episode) * '' Macross Frontier'' (a future replica of the Griffith Observatory.) * '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' * ''
Melrose Place ''Melrose Place'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex on Melrose Place, in ...
'' ("Till Death Do Us Part") * '' Millionaire Matchmaker'' (shown in random episodes) * '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966 TV series) (opening pilot episode, plus the location of two mission briefings in two subsequent episodes) * '' The Monkees'' (footage incorporated into musical sequences) * ''
Moonlight Moonlight consists of mostly sunlight (with little earthlight) reflected from the parts of the Moon's surface where the Sun's light strikes. Illumination The intensity of moonlight varies greatly depending on the lunar phase, but even the ful ...
'' * ''
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''.
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...
performed their single "The Catalyst" at the Observatory * '' The New Adventures of Wonder Woman'' (Season 3 episode "Time Bomb" 1979) * '' Quantum Leap'' (" Goodbye Norma Jean") * '' Remington Steele'' * '' The Rookie'' (Season 4, Episode 6: Poetic Justice) * ''
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger ''Rocky Jones, Space Ranger'' is an American science fiction television serial originally broadcast in syndication from February to November 1954. The show lasted for only two seasons and, though syndicated sporadically, dropped into obscurity. ...
'' * '' She-Hulk: Attorney at Law'' (Season 1, Episode 1) (A picture of the observatory hangs in Jennifer Walter's office) * '' The Simpsons'' (duplicated as
Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...
Observatory) * '' Star Trek: Voyager'' (two-part episode " Future's End") * '' Top Chef'' (site of opening challenge for the 17th season) * '' The Wonder Years''


Other media

* The song "Observatory Crest" from
Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...
's album ''
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'' is about two lovers spending a romantic evening at Griffith Observatory. Lead vocalist
Don Van Vliet Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON *Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name *Don, Benin, a town in Benin *Don, Dang, a vill ...
lived nearby and frequently visited it in his youth. * It was a filming location for the music video for " Rush Rush" by
Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreograph ...
which starred
Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( ; born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in '' Youngblood'' (1986). ...
and was directed by Stefan Würnitzer. This video was based on '' Rebel Without a Cause''. * An image of the observatory is shown in a
2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
music video, " To Live & Die in L.A.". The video pays homage to Los Angeles and its best known landmarks. * Some interview segments with rock musician
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
for the " Beatles Anthology" video were conducted on the observatory grounds during the mid-1990s. Starr and Neil Aspinall are shown viewing Los Angeles from the Observatory. * It appears in the video games '' Mafia II'', '' L.A. Noire'', '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', ''
Grand Theft Auto V ''Grand Theft Auto V'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto, ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2008's ''Grand Theft Auto IV'', and ...
'', '' Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines'', '' Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3'', '' Wasteland 2'' and '' The Crew''. * On September 12, 2010,
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...
performed a brief set for a thousand fans onsite. "
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" from this performance was later shown by
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
for that night's Video Music Awards. * The photographs on the cover of The Byrds' album ''Untitled'' were taken on the staircase of Griffith Observatory. * In the comic ''
Runaways Runaway, Runaways or Run Away may refer to: Engineering * Runaway reaction, a chemical reaction releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable * Thermal runaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic proce ...
'', the Runaways battle
Geoffrey Wilder Geoffrey Wilder is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics series ''Runaways''. Geoffrey is the leader of the Pride, a supervillain crime ring in Los Angeles.''Runaways'' #2 He is the father of Alex Wilder. Geoffrey Wilder was played by R ...
at Griffith Observatory, which is destroyed in the fight.''Runaways'' (vol. 2) 18, Marvel Comics * Cartoonist Bill Griffith is known for his satirical cartoon commentary on American culture and values. He drew and released a one-shot magazine format collection of "one-pager" treatments of odd bits of American cultural life, entitled "Griffith Observatory". It opens with a clever premise piece, in which he falls into the opportunity to rent the actual Griffith Observatory as a living space. The agent showing the property mentions the telescope in an offhand way as a "plus", and Bill realizes it would be a tremendous boon to his amateur anthropological pastime. * In 2019 a photo of the observatory was one of many splash screens for Windows 10.


Gallery

File:Griffith Observatory (24587742066).jpg, Griffith Observatory, August 2015 File:Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California.jpg, Griffith Observatory, April 2007 File:Griffith Observatory south elevation 2006.jpg, View from a trail in Griffith Park from the south, looking north File:griffithparkobservatory.jpg, Los Angeles at night, taken from the roof. File:Griffith Observatory telescope dome.jpg, View of Downtown Los Angeles from the telescope. File:Griffith Observatory 2006 (architecture closeup).jpg, Architecture closeup, taken after the renovation. File:Griffith Observatory entrance lawn with Hollywood sign.jpg, View of the
Hollywood Sign The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Spelling ...
on a clear day. File:Griffith Park southeast side.jpg, View looking eastward, with south Griffith Park and
Eagle Rock Eagle Rock may refer to: Entertainment * "Eagle Rock" (song), a hit single in 1971 by Australian band Daddy Cool * "Eagle Rock", a song by Motörhead * Eagle Rock Entertainment, a record label Places * Eagle Rock (formation), in California * Eag ...
File:Little Armenia Los Angeles view.jpg, View of the Los Angeles Basin looking south, with Little Armenia in the center. File:Foucault pendulum at Griffith Observatory.jpg,
Foucault Pendulum The Foucault pendulum or Foucault's pendulum is a simple device named after French physicist Léon Foucault, conceived as an experiment to demonstrate the Earth's rotation. A long and heavy pendulum suspended from the high roof above a circular a ...
in the center of W. M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda. File:Griffith Observatory on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in L.A.'s Griffith Park (LC-DIG-highsm- 22255).tif, Observatory viewed from above File:Griffobserva.jpg, Griffith Observatory after renovations, June 2007. File:Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory.jpg, View of the Hollywood sign from the north side of Griffith Observatory, 2011. File:View of the east side of Griffith Observatory.jpg, View from the east side of Griffith Observatory, 2011. File:Downtown Los Angeles from Griffith Observatory.jpg, View of downtown Los Angeles from the south side of Griffith Observatory, 2011. File:View of Pacific Ocean from Griffith Observatory.jpg, View of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica area from the west side of Griffith Observatory 2011. File:Mayan Exhibit with Krupp.jpg, Observatory Director
Ed Krupp Edwin Charles Krupp (born November 18, 1944) is an American astronomer, researcher, author, and popularizer of science. He is an internationally recognized expert in the field of archaeoastronomy, the study of how ancient cultures viewed the sky ...
and the Mayan Calendar Exhibit File:Closest Neighbor in Space exhibit.jpg, The Closest Neighbor Exhibit File:Griffith Observatory - Dusk.jpg, Griffith Observatory at dusk File:Griffith Observatory by Gustavo Gerdel.jpg, Night view of the observatory dome with the City of Los Angeles in the background File:Los Angeles Nighttime Griffith Observatory.jpg, View of downtown Los Angeles at night File:Griffith Park SW01.jpg,
James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, ''Rebel Without a Cause' ...
statue File:Griffith Park SW02.jpg, Architectural detail of Main Entrance


See also

* Don Dixon – Observatory Art Director * Joy Picus, Los Angeles City Council member, 1977–1991, president of Friends of Griffith Observatory *
Laura Danly Laura Danly, Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D. (born July 7, 1958) is an American astronomer and academic who served as Curator of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. She has also served as chair of the Department of Space Sciences at the Denver Mus ...
– Observatory Curator * Los Angeles Historic–Cultural Monuments in Hollywood and Los Feliz *
Fabra Observatory The Fabra Observatory ( ca, Observatori Fabra, ; obs. code: 006) is an astronomical observatory located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain pointed towards the south at 415 metres above sea level (latitude: 41,4184° N; longitude: 2,1239° E). It w ...
– Spanish observatory on a hill overlooking a metropolis


Explanatory notes


References


External links

*
Griffith Observatory Foundation

Collection of articles on the observatory
at the '' Los Angeles Times''
Live Lecturers sent into a Black Hole
by Danny King at Bloomberg News
Make Astronomers the Stars
Op/Ed by Margaret Wertheim in the '' Los Angeles Times''
Light Pollution in L.A. Area

Image of visitors at an exhibit in the newly opened Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, 1935
'' Los Angeles Times'' Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections,
Charles E. Young Research Library The Charles E. Young Research Library is one of the largest libraries on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. It initially opened in 1964, and a second phase of construction was completed ...
, University of California, Los Angeles. {{Authority control
Observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...
Art Deco architecture in California Astronomical observatories in California Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments Museums in Los Angeles Planetaria in the United States Public Works of Art Project Science and technology in Greater Los Angeles Science museums in California Tourist attractions in Los Angeles Museums established in 1935 1935 establishments in California Los Feliz, Los Angeles