During the early evening hours of August 24, 2004, the massive dome of the 200-inch Hale Reflector opened its eye and began a night of exploring the heavens.  Lit by the glow of the waxing gibbous moon this telescope was, until 1976, the largest in the world.  While its size is now surpassed by more than a dozen larger instruments, the Hale Reflector at the Palomar Observatory remains one of the cutting-edge telescopes on the planet. 

Above the right side of the dome, the "bowl" of the Big Dipper appears, and to the lower left shine the stars of Coma Berenices.  Near the horizon, the yellowish-orange lights of Orange County and northern San Diego County spill upward and illuminate the sky with light pollution.

It was a photo not unlike this one appearing in my fourth grade "My Weekly Reader" that helped inspire my young eyes to gaze skyward.  And what a view it's been!

●  Photo details:  Canon 20D body, Canon 24mm f/1.4L lens at f/4.5, ISO 400; exposure not recorded
●  Processing details:  Capture One 4.8.3, Noise Ninja 2.3.2, Photoshop CS2
●  Location:  Palomar Mountain, California, USA