Mount Wilson Observatory

Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO), Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history, is pleased to present the fourth Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome of its 2026 season, inside the magnificent vaulted dome of MWO’s historic 100-inch telescope.
On Sunday, August 9, 2026, the audience is invited to experience “Jazz / Carte Blanche to Tom Ranier,” which sees musicians Tom Ranier (piano), Larry Koonse (guitar), and Darek Oles (bass), take the piano-guitar-bass trio format—so prevalent in the jazz world of the 40s—into the 21st century, with jazz compositions, standards from the American songbook and classical pieces. For more information on this concert, please visit <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert80926/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert80926 </a>As in previous seasons, Artistic Director Cécilia Tsan (Principal Cellist, Long Beach Symphony and Los Angeles Master Chorale) curates the series. Each concert date of the season features the same program presented twice—first at 3:00pm and again at 5:00pm. There will be an artist reception at 4:00pm between each concert’s hour-long session. Tickets cost $65 each and are available for purchase online in advance (highly recommended) or at the door, given availability.

For more on the Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome series and upcoming concerts, please visit <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/concerts" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/concerts </a>UPCOMING CONCERTS IN THE 2026 SEASON:

September 6: Webern String Quartet - <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert0906256/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert0906256 </a>A program featuring Todd Mason String Quartet No. 5, “The Phoenix” (2025), and Beethoven String Quartet No. 15, Op. 132, performed by Webern String Quartet—Benjamin Hoffman and Chiai Tajima (violins), Alex Granger (viola), and Stella Cho (cello).

October 4: Piano Quartets - <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert100426/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert100426</a>
Featuring David Kaplan (piano), Ambroise Aubrun (violin), Ariana Solotoff (viola), and Cécilia Tsan (cello), playing Mahler and Brahms Op.60 in C minor.

VISITING MWO The gate to Mount Wilson’s campus opens at 10:00am daily and closes at 5:00pm from early April through November. Entrance to the grounds is free. Visitors can hike, gaze at the telescope domes and towers that dot the landscape, and take a look at historic Mount Wilson photos and letters in the Museum.
The Cosmic Cafe (<a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/cosmic-cafe" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/cosmic-cafe</a>), located above the main parking lot at the Observatory entrance, is open on weekends in the spring, summer, and fall. In addition to traditional menu items such as hot dogs, drinks, and snacks, the Cafe offers wraps, salads, and sweet treats from Little Flower.
PARKING A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00am and 5:00pm. During the week, passes are available at locations around Los Angeles. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Canada Flintridge at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway (<a href="https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US</a>). Visit the U.S. Forest Service website for more information about Passes and other locations to buy them: <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass </a>NOT ADA-COMPLIANT Please be advised that access to the 100-inch dome is via an open-air, 53-step staircase inside the building. There is no ADA-compliant access.
For more information about visiting Mount Wilson Observatory, please visit: <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/visiting/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/visiting</a>

Local Event: Mount Wilson Observatory presents “Jazz / Carte Blanche to Tom Ranier”

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Mount Wilson Observatory presents “Jazz / Carte...

Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO), Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical...

Mount Wilson Observatory presents “Jazz / Carte Blanche to Tom Ranier”

Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO), Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history, presents its fourth Matinees on the Mountain screening of the 2026 season, on Saturday, July 18 at 3:00pm. August’s screening will feature Steven Spielberg's Academy Award-winning 1982 film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” This sci-fi classic sees a lonely boy befriend a stranded alien, as they embark on a magical adventure to help E.T. “phone home” before the grown-ups catch him. For this screening the Bob Baker Marionettes will join MWO on the mountain, showcasing a selection of puppets. Tickets are priced at $20 for general admission and $15 for children under 12. For more information and tickets, please visit: <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/movie081526/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/events/movie081526</a>. MWO's film series takes place in its 256-seat auditorium, screening classic science fiction, vintage silent films, and even a few family-friendly surprises. Moviegoers can enjoy lunch at the Cosmic Cafe or picnic on the grounds, explore the Observatory’s rich history, and then settle in for a unique cinematic experience 1-mile above the City of Los Angeles. The Cosmic Cafe (<a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/cosmic-cafe" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/cosmic-cafe</a>), located above the main parking lot at the Observatory entrance, is open on weekends in the spring, summer, and fall. In addition to traditional menu items such as hot dogs, drinks, and snacks, the Cafe offers wraps, salads, and sweet treats from Little Flower. UPCOMING MATINEES ON THE MOUNTAIN OF THE 2026 SEASON September 12: “Solaris” (1972): <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/movie091226/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/movie091226 </a>Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, “Solaris” sees a psychologist travel to a troubled space station orbiting the planet Solaris, where a mysterious alien intelligence manifests human memories and forces the crew to confront their past. October 10: “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956): <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/movie101026" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/events/movie101026 </a>A small-town doctor discovers that people in his community are being secretly replaced by emotionless alien duplicates grown from mysterious space-borne pods, sparking a desperate fight to stop the silent invasion. VISITING MWO The gate to Mount Wilson’s campus opens at 10:00am daily and closes at 5:00pm from early April through November. Entrance to the grounds is free. Visitors can hike, gaze at the telescope domes and towers that dot the landscape, and take a look at historic Mount Wilson photos and letters in the Museum. For more information about Visiting Mount Wilson Observatory, please visit: <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/visiting/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/visiting</a>.
PARKING A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00am and 5:00pm. During the week, passes are available at locations around Los Angeles. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Canada Flintridge at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway (<a href="https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US</a>). Visit the U.S. Forest Service website for more information about Passes and other locations to buy them: <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass</a>
For more information about Visiting Mount Wilson Observatory, please visit: <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/visiting/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/visiting</a>

Local Event: MWO Presents a screening of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” w/ Special Guest The Bob Baker Marionettes

MWO Presents a screening of “E.T. the...

MWO Presents a screening of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” w/ Special Guest The Bob Baker Marionettes

West Hollywood City Council Chambers

“Lives Beyond Motion,” the award-winning documentary by filmmaker, choreographer, and educator Keith Glassman, brings together more than thirty of America's most celebrated contemporary dancers and choreographers in an intimate portrait of lives devoted to artistic expression. A special free public screening will take place at the West Hollywood City Council Chambers (625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069) on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 2:00pm, with doors opening at 1:45pm. The two-hour program, concluding at 4:00pm, will feature the screening followed by a live Q&amp;A featuring Glassman, selected cast members, and Dr. David Gere, UCLA professor and author of “How to Make Dances in an Epidemic: Tracking Choreography in the Age of AIDS.” The conversation will further explore the film's themes of artistic legacy, creative resilience, and the evolving role of dance in contemporary culture. This program is supported, in part, by an arts grant from the City of West Hollywood. Admission is free and RSVP is encouraged. Email <a href="mailto:livesbeyondmotion@gmail.com">livesbeyondmotion@gmail.com</a> to reserve your spot. For more information about the film, please visit <a href="https://whymendance.wixsite.com/lbmscroll" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://whymendance.wixsite.com/lbmscroll</a>. “Lives Beyond Motion” brings together an extraordinary cast of intergenerational American movement artists whose work has helped shape contemporary dance in the United States and around the world, leaving an enduring legacy both on and off the stage. Featuring acclaimed performers and choreographers including Kennedy Center Honoree Bill T. Jones, Guggenheim Fellows Lar Lubovitch, David Rousseve, and Sean Curran, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham, and more than thirty distinguished artists, the documentary offers a thoughtful reflection on lives devoted to movement, creativity, and the art of dance. Directed and produced by dancer and choreographer Keith Glassman, the 71-minute documentary—originally released in February 2025—explores the personal and professional journeys of internationally renowned male dancers and choreographers—many of whom identify in the LGBTQ+ community. Through candid interviews—conducted over a ten-year period—interwoven with rare archival performance footage, participants discuss their artistic beginnings, creative evolution, the realities of sustaining a life in dance, and the enduring question that connects them all: "Why do I dance?" Along the way, the film also examines broader social and cultural experiences—including the challenges involved in pursuing a dance career in the U.S., experiences with homophobia, the AIDS crisis, racial issues, and more. Viewers are given a rare level of transparency as participants share their sacrifices, triumphs, and struggles to transcend economic, racial, and sexual marginalization. The film features an original score by composer The Angel and editing by veteran filmmaker Douglas Thompson. The two are also producers and Kevin Herlihy serves as co-producer, with Glassman as executive producer. Since its premiere, “Lives Beyond Motion” has received Best Documentary honors at Dance Camera West and Outstanding Editing at the Micheaux Film Festival, while screening at festivals and special presentations throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Europe.

Local Event: Keith Glassman’s “Lives Beyond Motion” World-Renowned Dancers, Free Screening, Director-Cast Q&A

Keith Glassman’s “Lives Beyond Motion”...

“Lives Beyond Motion,” the award-winning documentary by filmmaker, choreographer, and educator Keith Glassman, brings together...

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Posting Activity

Mount Wilson Observatory presents “Jazz / Carte Blanche to Tom Ranier”

AUG

9

3:00 PM

Mount Wilson Observatory, 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson, CA

MWO Presents a screening of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” w/ Special Guest The Bob Baker Marionettes

AUG

15

3:00 PM

Mount Wilson Observatory, 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson, CA

Keith Glassman’s “Lives Beyond Motion” World-Renowned Dancers, Free Screening, Director-Cast Q&A

AUG

16

2:00 PM

West Hollywood City Council Chambers, 625 N San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA