To See the Stars

By Robert Gounley

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), Lady Windermere's Fan, 1892, Act III

OASIS has donated one hundred dollars to the Mount Wilson Institute to protect the celebrated mountaintop above Pasadena.

For nearly 100 years, the telescopes of the Mount Wilson Observatory offered astronomers extraordinary views of the night sky from its vantage above the Los Angeles basin. There the air is unusually still and the stars scarcely twinkle. The largest telescope there, with a mirror 100 inches in diameter, was once the largest in the world, making Mount Wilson the premier site for astronomers. From this facility, Dr. Edwin Hubble made measurements that showed not only that the Universe was far larger than scientists imagined, but that it is still expanding.

Light pollution from the cities below took a toll on the science that Mount Wilson could perform. By the 1980s few astronomers used the facility; most went to other observatories with larger mirrors and darker skies. To continue Mount Wilson's scientific and educational legacy, the Mount Wilson Institute was formed. With funds raised by this organization, new sensors have been installed which allows the telescopes to see through city lights and view the sky with even greater clarity than before. Once again, the telescopes buzz with activity and scientists bargain for precious observing time.

The Institute's mission goes well beyond professional astronomy. Last year, free public star parties were held regularly on Mount Wilson for the first time since the 1940s. Each month 70 to 100 amateur astronomers and stargazers (including several from OASIS) have braved cold, wind, and narrow roads to behold the night sky.^† Even with city lights, bright stars shine clearly. On special nights, when low clouds cloak Los Angeles in a gray blanket, the sky above mountain looks much as it had a century ago.

Today this view is threatened by something very close to earth - fire. When the observatory was built, the mountaintop had few trees and little brush. Since then, both have prospered and the entire facility is covered in vegetation that becomes dry and tinder-like every summer. More than once, fires on the surrounding hillsides covered the observatory in smoke. Without some long overdue maintenance, flames could follow.

To that end, the Mount Wilson Institute has begun a fire abatement project to clear brush away from within 100 feet of all buildings. OASIS is pleased to contribute to this project.

Together, we can keep Mount Wilson open for everyone who loves the stars. There, amid the seemingly endless sprawl of Los Angeles, we're reminded that Space is always there, just a hundred miles above our heads.

^†Read about one trip to a star party at Mount Wilson in A Short History of a Campaign Up The Mountain.