The brilliant white dome of the Palomar Observatory is utterly awe inspiring.  Until you’re standing next to the dome containing the 200” reflecting telescope however it’s difficult to truly appreciate the magnitude of this architectural and engineering marvel.  Conceived at the turn of the century and completed in 1948, the Palomar Observatory has been in continuous operation ever since performing scientific research and gathering data on our universe.  The observatory is open to the public year round and is located atop 5,000 foot Palomar Mountain surrounded by pine forests and breathtaking views.  There’s a picnic area adjacent to the observatory; pefect for a bottle of wine and picnic lunch.