MWO’s Talks & Telescopes presents “The Brightness of Stars: Henrietta Leavitt” with Anna Von Mertens
Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO), Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history, welcomes the public to the fifth Saturday Evening Talks & Telescopes of the season on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
MWO is honored to present “The Brightness of Stars: Henrietta Leavitt and the Transformative Nature of Attention in Art and Science,” a lecture by artist and writer Anna Von Mertens. The presentation explores how Henrietta Leavitt’s pioneering studies of variable stars provided the first reliable way to measure vast cosmic distances. Working among the women now known as the Harvard Computers at the Harvard College Observatory, Leavitt laid the foundation for major breakthroughs at Mount Wilson, including Harlow Shapley’s mapping of the Milky Way and Edwin Hubble’s discovery of an expanding universe. Drawing from her book “Attention Is Discovery: The Life and Legacy of Astronomer Henrietta Leavitt,” von Mertens shares archival materials alongside her own artwork inspired by Leavitt’s life, using art to celebrate not only how careful, trained attention leads to scientific discovery, but also how that applied attention creates a meaningful life. Tickets are available here: www.mtwilson.edu/events/lecture091926
During the six-month season, each Talks & Telescopes event runs from 5:30pm to 11:30pm with the “talk” portion of the evening beginning in the Observatory’s Auditorium. The 60+ minute presentation is followed by picnic dining—bring your own, or purchase from a food truck or caterer—and then, after the sun goes down, stargazing through Mount Wilson’s immense telescopes, the largest in the world made available to the public. Additional stargazing around the grounds will be available thanks to members of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society.
Both the 60-inch telescope and the 100-inch—the latter famously used by Edwin Hubble to discover the expanding universe—will be available for viewing the night sky. Priced at $50, this event series offers the most economical stargazing event option on the mountain. Tickets and more information are available on Mount Wilson Observatory’s website here: www.mtwilson.edu/lectures. Advance purchases are highly recommended.
THE FINAL SATURDAY EVENING TALKS & TELESCOPES OF THE 2026 SEASON
October 17: “The Duality of Genius and Struggle: G.E. Hale” www.mtwilson.edu/events/lecture101726
This talk, presented by Sam Hale, explores the extraordinary life and legacy of his grandfather, George Ellery Hale—the visionary behind some of the world’s most important astronomical institutions. Drawing on both history and personal connection, Sam Hale offers insight into a legacy that continues to shape science and culture today.
VISITING MWO
The gate to Mount Wilson’s campus opens at 10:00am daily and closes at 5:00pm from early April through November. Entrance to the grounds is free. Visitors can hike, gaze at the telescope domes and towers that dot the landscape, and take a look at historic Mount Wilson photos and letters in the Museum.
PARKING
A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00am and 5:00pm. During the week, passes are available at locations around Los Angeles. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Canada Flintridge at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway (https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US). Visit the U.S. Forest Service website for more information about Passes and other locations to buy them: www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass
For more information about Visiting Mount Wilson Observatory, please visit: www.mtwilson.edu/visiting
PLEASE NOTE
The Observatory is not ADA-compliant. Access to the 100-inch dome is via an open-air, 53-step staircase inside the building that could present challenges to those with difficulties.
There is a 10-minute walk from the parking lot to the 100-inch telescope; be prepared with comfortable shoes.
