Event Blog 1 / Griffith Ovservatory

I went to Griffith Observatory on Saturday night during the spring break so it was very crowded even though I got there a few hours before they close.

The first thing which caught my eyes when I entered the building was the mural on the ceiling. According to Hugo Ballin Murals Griffith Observatory, it was produced by Hugo Ballin who was a writer and a producer in the film industry in early 20th century. He left film industry when Hollywood started making talking movies and returned to his first career as classically trained artist. Workers carefully restored Ballin’s murals so they would appear as Ballin first painted in 1934.

Randy, a curator, told me what each person drawn in the mural represent. They represent classical celestial mythology, Atlas, the four winds, the planets as gods, and the twelve constellations of the zodiac.

In week 2 lecture, Professor Vesna mentioned Nikola Tesla, an inventor and an engineer, who contributed to the development of the alternating-current electrical system that is widely used today and discovered the rotating magnetic field.

Nicola Tesla

Tesla Coil Griffith Observatory states that Tesla was born in now Croatia and came to the United States in 1884. According to Nikola Tesla, Wikipedia, he worked with Thomas Edison briefly. His 1891 invention, the “Tesla Coil,” is still used in radio technology today.

Here is the demonstration of Tesla coil.

Tesla Coil produces lightning-like discharges. Even though I saw it through the glass window, I heard the sound of discharges and the light was very bright. Tesla Coil converts low-voltage alternating current electricity to very high voltage and increases the frequency.

This telescope was displayed at “The Hall of Eye.” This gallery exhibits the progress of human observation of the sky and the tools which are used for that exploration.

This looks like an instrument but this is also a telescope.

I recommend everyone, adults and children, scientists and artists, students from north and south campus to visit Griffith Observatory and enjoy both science and art. Looking at the exhibits will awaken your imagination toward the space.

"Hugo Ballin." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ballin>.

"Hugo Ballin Murals." Griffith Observatory -. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.griffithobs.org/exhibits/centralrotunda_hugoballinmurals.html>.

"Nikola Tesla." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla>.

"Hall of the Eye." Griffith Observatory -. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.griffithobservatory.org/exhibits/halloftheeye.html>.

Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/nikola-tesla-9504443>.

"Tesla Coil." Griffith Observatory -. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.griffithobs.org/exhibits/halloftheeye_teslacoil.html>.