California’s most visited observatory was sketched by the founder of DIY astronomy – here’s how to visit

Russell Porter’s Journey from Vermont Stellafane to Griffith Observatory

Russell Porter turned the night sky into a hobby for all Americans. In 1920, this Arctic explorer began teaching 15 Vermont locals how to make telescopes by hand.

Soon after, they built Stellafane, the first amateur telescope making club in America, on Porter’s own land. His skill caught the eye of big science when he moved to California in 1928.

There, while designing the massive Hale Telescope, Porter sketched plans for Griffith Observatory that architects used to build the real thing.

The landmark opened in 1935, bringing Porter’s vision of astronomy for everyday people to Los Angeles. Today, you can visit this stunning observatory and see Porter’s solar telescopes still working in the west wing.

A Vermont Telescope Maker Started a National Movement

In 1920, Russell Porter began teaching 15 people in Springfield, Vermont how to make telescopes. His students included 14 men from the Jones & Lamson factory and one woman teacher.

This small group formed the Springfield Telescope Makers club on December 7, 1923.

Porter gave land from his Breezy Hill property for their clubhouse, which they called Stellafane, meaning “shrine to the stars.”

Fellow star-gazers soon called him the “Patron Saint” of amateur telescope making as he taught hundreds to build telescopes by hand.

Scientific American Spread Porter’s Ideas Nationwide

Albert G. Ingalls wrote about Porter and the Springfield Telescope Makers in two 1925 Scientific American articles that grabbed readers’ interest.

The huge response led the magazine to start a regular “Back Yard Astronomer” column with Porter helping as editor.

Ingalls later put this material into books called “Amateur Telescope Making,” which hobbyists called “the bible of telescope making.”

These books sparked a nationwide trend of backyard astronomers building homemade telescopes, turning an elite science into a popular hobby.

George Hale Spotted Porter’s Unique Talents

George Ellery Hale hired Porter in 1927 to help design the 200-inch telescope at Palomar Observatory. Porter moved to Pasadena in December 1928 to work on optics and instrument design.

He drew incredibly detailed cutaway views of the telescope that showed both technical skill and artistic beauty. His mix of talents proved key to the success of what would become the world’s largest telescope.

Porter’s background as both an artist and engineer made him perfect for showing complex scientific tools.

The Griffith Trust Tapped Porter’s Expertise

In spring 1930, the Griffith Trust put together a team of top astronomers and scientists to plan a new public observatory. George Ellery Hale guided the overall design using his know-how from other observatories.

Caltech physicist Edward Kurth drew up early plans and watched over construction details.

The trust brought in Porter to help Kurth, seeing how his amateur telescope making skills could help create an observatory for public learning rather than professional research.

Porter Sketched His Vision for Griffith Observatory

While working on the Palomar telescope, Porter created dozens of sketches for the Griffith Observatory. He drew a building with a large middle dome and two wings extending east and west.

Each wing had a smaller dome housing a telescope and display space.

The whole building rose naturally from Mount Hollywood’s slope, showing Porter’s belief that astronomy should be open to everyone.

His sketches showed both how the building would look and how visitors would move through it.

Architects Turned Porter’s Sketches Into Plans

In May 1931, the Griffith Trust and Los Angeles Park Commissioners picked architects John C. Austin and Frederick M. Ashley to create the final design. They hired Kurth to lead the project while keeping Porter as an advisor.

Austin and Ashley used Porter’s early sketches as the base for their detailed plans.

The final design mixed Porter’s practical ideas for a learning center with stylish Art Deco touches popular in 1930s buildings.

An Earthquake Changed Construction Materials

The Long Beach earthquake hit in March 1933 just as builders finished the plans. This forced the architects to switch from terra cotta to stronger concrete walls.

They kept Porter’s basic design while making structural parts safer.

The Great Depression actually helped by lowering prices on building materials, letting the team pick high-quality marble, bronze, and hardwoods for the inside that might have cost too much in better times.

Construction Workers Brought Porter’s Vision to Life

Workers started building on June 20, 1933, as part of a Works Progress Administration project that created jobs during the Depression.

They built Porter’s central dome with east and west wings using strong concrete covered with copper that would turn green over time. The project cost just over $655,000, staying close to Porter’s original budget guesses.

Depression-era worker pay helped keep costs down while giving much-needed jobs to local builders.

Telescopes and Exhibits Fulfilled Porter’s Educational Goals

Workers put a Zeiss 12-inch telescope in the east dome just as Porter planned in his sketches. The west dome got a triple-beam solar telescope so visitors could safely look at the sun.

Under the central dome, they built a 75-foot planetarium theater that grew from Porter’s original idea.

They added a Foucault pendulum and 38-foot moon model to complete the learning displays Porter wanted to help people understand astronomy.

Thousands Flocked to See the New Observatory

Griffith Observatory opened on May 14, 1935, with a ceremony attended by scientists, politicians, and the public.

More than 13,000 visitors came during the first five days, confirming Porter’s belief that people wanted to learn about astronomy.

The free admission policy matched Porter’s democratic approach from his Stellafane movement in Vermont.

His vision of making professional-quality astronomy accessible to ordinary people became reality on a scale he could hardly have imagined when teaching those first 15 students.

Porter Left His Mark on Los Angeles Skyline

The observatory became a world leader in public astronomy education, welcoming over 70 million visitors by 2002.

Porter’s philosophy of making astronomy accessible to ordinary people became permanently embedded in the institution’s mission.

His design influence spread beyond Griffith to inspire other public observatories across the country.

While the Stellafane movement continues today in Vermont, Griffith Observatory stands as Porter’s most visible monument, bringing the stars within reach of generations of Los Angeles residents and visitors.

Visiting Griffith Park Observatory, California

You can visit Griffith Observatory at 2800 East Observatory Road to see Russell W. Porter’s vision come to life.

Porter, who founded Vermont’s Stellafane observatory, created the preliminary sketches that made this LA landmark possible from 1930-1935. The building is free and open Tuesday-Friday 12pm-10pm, weekends 10am-10pm.

Planetarium tickets cost $10 for adults.

You can use free public telescopes nightly when skies are clear, plus take the DASH Observatory bus from Vermont/Sunset Metro station.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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