MWO’s Talks & Telescopes presents “The Duality of Genius and Struggle: G. E. Hale” with Sam Hale
Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO), Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history, welcomes the public to the final Saturday Evening Talks & Telescopes of the season on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
MWO is honored to present “The Duality of Genius and Struggle: G. E. Hale,” a lecture by Sam Hale, the grandson of MWO’s founder George Ellery Hale. This lecture explores the life and legacy of the visionary behind some of the world’s most important astronomical institutions, drawing on both history and personal connection, with insights into a legacy that continues to shape science and culture today. Tickets are available here: www.mtwilson.edu/events/lecture101726.
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 Duality of Genius and Struggle: G. E. Hale”
“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood.” This quote encapsulates George Ellery Hale’s incredible life and monumental achievements. The five astronomical telescopes he built beginning in 1897 were the largest in the world for nearly a century. While living in Pasadena just after the turn of the 20th century, Hale helped transform a community school into what would become the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). At the same time, he was the driving inspiration for the creation of the Huntington Library. While serving on the Planning Commission, Hale was a major force behind the creation of the city’s elegant civic center. As we’ll learn in this lecture, Hale accomplished all this and more while suffering from debilitating emotional issues.
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.
