Shrouded in snow on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, lies the world"s first permanently occupied mountaintop observatory. Constructed between 1876 and 1887, the Lick Observatory has been the site of significant discoveries, including several of Jupiter"s moons and other planetary systems. It"s named for American real-estate entrepreneur James Lick, who set aside $700,000 for the University of California to build a facility that would be home to a "telescope superior to and more powerful than any telescope yet made."
Lick Observatory
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
It s Teacher Appreciation Week
-
Celebrating World Art Day
-
In praise of the pipes
-
Taking the scenic route
-
Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
-
Glacial spires in the fog
-
It’s World Migratory Bird Day
-
Après-ski in the Dolomites
-
Mount Segla, Senja Island, Norway
-
Celebrating Flag Day: ‘O long may it wave’
-
Happy Astronomy Day!
-
Summer solstice
-
World Population Day
-
The first ascent
-
Happy Holi!
-
World Elephant Day
-
First day of autumn
-
International Day for Biological Diversity
-
It s National Camera Day. Get the picture?
-
Happy Fathers Day!
-
A Flag Day tradition
-
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
-
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
-
Islands that turned the tide
-
Plum blossoms in China
-
New Year s Day
-
Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
-
Take a break! It s Labor Day!
-
Behold the mighty Aldeyjarfoss
-
Monarch butterflies migrate south
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

