Event 2 - Griffith Oberservatory

            For my second event, I went to a Los Angeles landmark, the Griffith Observatory. The beautiful pathway of the Hollywood hills led to the grand observatory. It is the perfect setting to learn a lot about science in a beautifully artistic setting.

The pieces and exhibits at the observatory were pretty diverse. Some had to do with electricity, some had to do with chemistry, some physics, but most had to do with Earth and Space-which we discussed in the last lecture was the broadest topic. One of the most intriguing pieces was one of the first exhibits-the camera obscura. 

Inside a dark room on a flat surface, one can see a moving panoramic image of Los Angeles in real time. The camera obscura image is created by projecting an image of the outside world into a dark room through a pinhole. The camera obscura on the Griffith observatory roof uses a mirror and rotating turret to produce the reflected image seen here. This optical device, although seemingly high-tech, is an ancient device that is traced back to the the times of Aristotle where astronomers used them to observe the Sun.

            Another fun piece I enjoyed was the large and interactive periodic table with each square on the table represented by a physical representation and sample of each element. This piece represents one of the key tools in chemistry and as a chemical engineer I found it very amusing to display it in such an artistic styling. The piece gets the point across to both kids and adults alike.

There were a lot of different pieces and I could go on and on about the basic and advanced scientific facts that I learned and re-learned in fun, creative ways. The best way to experience this beautiful, fun, and educational landmark is definitely to go see for yourself!

Sources

1. Eaglin, Desiree. "Guide to the Griffith Observatory." (2011): n. page. Print. <http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/guide/guide-to-the-griffith-observatory/>.

2. "Griffith Observatory." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. <http://www.griffithobs.org/>.

3. "The Camera Obscura in History." n. page. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. <http://www.obscurajournal.com/history.php>.

4. The Whole World on a Disk. N.d. Video. Youtube.com, Los Angeles. Web. 12 Dec 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-wZcNVGV2E>.

5. Vesna, Victoria, and . Space Part 1. 2012. Video. Youtube.com, Los Angeles. Web. 29 Nov 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZIqTR332l8>.