Boy, did we have fun at Mt. Wilson! On a beautiful October day, we caravanned up Angeles Crest Highway to the top of the mountains above Pasadena, to the famous Mt. Wilson Observatory to see a PAA-funded exhibit and take in the magic of the site. We had time to explore a bit and enjoyed standing on the outer rail of the big white dome as it slowly rotated giving us a 360-degree view of the Angeles National Forest, the big blue sky, and sprawling Los Angeles below.

Artists Stephen Nowlin and Rebeca Mendez welcomed us into the amazing setting inside the telescope dome, then each walked us through their thought-provoking work entitled: OF SEA AND SKY.  As always, hearing the artists describe their work, detail their motivations and intent, and put it into context made it a very special visit, indeed.

Afterwards, some of us walked and some rode on the snappy 8-seater shuttle cart to the infamous “Monastery” that has housed great astronomers and deep thinkers for over 100 years. In the library sits a chair that Einstein himself sat in while at Mt. Wilson. Outside, on the simple terrace, we ate our brown bag lunches, took deep breaths of the clear air, and were dazzled by the panoramic view of Southern California. While at lunch we learned about the Mt. Wilson Sunstar – an art installation that uses prisms to send a beam of colorful light to Pasadena. If you’re lucky, you can see it gleaming at the top of the ridge from the white tower.

It was a magical day of friendship, adventure, and great art!

– Nancy Foster, Co-chair Ed inside LA