Griffith Observatory

One of my favorite spots to visit in L.A. is the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park. I love the Art Deco look of the observatory building, and I love the views of the valley below. Since I went there on the first of my recent trips, I probably would've given it a miss on the second trip 8 days later, but the sky was so much clearer on the second trip that I just had to go back.

Amazingly enough, this last trip was also the first time that I had been inside the observatory. Pretty much every other time I had been the building was closed. It was closed for nearly 5 years while undergoing an extensive renovation, and it just re-opened in late 2006. In fact, I was so used to it being closed that I was almost ready to leave until I realized "Hey, I can go inside!" The inside of the building is well worth seeing too. There are lots of cool exhibits and a wonderful mural painted on the inside of the main dome.

This was the view on the first of my recent trips. There was lots of smoke, haze & ash from the Station Fire.

And here is the view on the second visit. Much clearer, although you can see the smog layer.

First trip

Second trip

I love that little vantage point in the lower middle of the photo, and how the streets seem to go on forever.

Dome mural

These are famous physicists & astronomers.