The Griffith observatory was the last stop for the SHPE JR club this past Friday. The students were amazed by the views of LA they were able to get from the observatory. They were also impressed by just how big the observatory actually was as it had two stories beneath the ground floor. Upon entering the museum student were able to see the Foucault pendulum swing from the roof. They also saw artwork surrounding the pendulum showcasing the likes of Greek/Roman gods. Heading to the left students were able to see instruments that were used and are used for space exploration. At the right wing of the observatory, students were able to learn more about space. The lunar cycle, and Earth`s seasonal cycle were two exhibits presented in the hallway leading up to the an exhibit of the sun. In that exhibit students were able to see live views of the sun along with images of the solar surface through different wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum.

Some other exhibits showcased here were the periodic table wired to light up the different elements that were present in the Big Bang and the Human body, along with representation of the different types of stars present in the known universe. Heading underground was a long hallway presenting the Big bang with astronomy related jewelry that was donated to the observatory. At the end of the hall way was a gigantic room split into an upper and lower deck. On the upper deck different meteorites were presented along with meteorite cradles found throughout the earth.

On the lower deck, exhibits of our solar system were showcased along with scales depicting your weight on each planet of our solar system. The wall opposite of this exhibit was the Big Picture. A tremendous exhibit that covered the entire wall. The Big Picture was two stories high and ran the length of the observatory. It was a great experience for the students to be able to see the observatory in person and for the students to gain a better analysis of astronomy.

-Photos & Story by Nestor Lopez