RIP 100 inch?

kw: musings, history, telescopes

I've been to see the 100-inch Hooker Telescope at Mount Wilson twice. Time was, during the day it was OK to walk right up to the dome and have a look inside, through a window provided for the purpose. The view wasn't quite as good as this, being from a lower angle. But I would gaze at the 30-foot long monster scope and dream.
As I write this, news reports from Los Angeles come in every 10-15 minutes; the eastern front of the Station Fire is currently holding still about half a mile from the mountaintop, which houses not just this wonderful instrument, founded in 1904, but more than 20 transmitting towers. L.A. could find itself without much communications capacity tonight!

There is even more at stake. The 150-foot Solar telescope, a 60-inch telescope, and several others take advantage of the location. Fire fighters have dumped a few hundred tons of fire suppressant in a ring around the mountaintop. Let's hope it is enough.