Griffith Observatory and Its Refracting Telescope

The Griffith refracting telescope observatory was founded by Griffith J. Griffith, a millionaire from Los Angeles, California. The popular observatory can be found in the City of Los Angeles, on Griffith Park, Mount Hollywood. The location affords visitors magnificent sights of many places in California such as Los Angeles itself.

Griffith was inspired to built the observatory after he visited the Mount Wilson Observatory.

With construction money of 100,000 dollars from Griffith, he instructed the building of the observatory on Mount Hollywood. The mountain top observatory was finally open on 1935 with its facilities available to the public.

Later after his death, ownership and operation of the Griffith Observatory was turned over to the city of Los Angeles.

One of the more popular astronomical telescope at the Griffith Observatory was the 12 inch (1 foot) Zeiss refracting telescope.

Ever since the opening of the observatory, this refracting telescope became available to the public, mostly people of Los Angeles and California. It became the stargazing refractor for the general public.

It is even said that many celestrial and astronomical objects such as comets and asteroids were viewed through the Zeiss refractor than any other refracting telescope in the United States.