Event 3: The Griffith Observatory

The Griffith Observatory has always been very interesting to me due to my love for astronomy. Despite having been there countless times, I still always find it exciting to go back again because I always seem to learn something new every time.

Entering the observatory the first thing anyone sees is the massive Foucault Pendulum, prominently and strategically placed as if to say “here is something about our own planet before we venture on to the others.”

The Foucault Pendulum was invented in 1851 as a device to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. But of course in 1851 people were already well aware of Earth’s rotation, yet it has still managed to gain popularity as something amazing. I don’t believe this was misguided, nor was it a fluke. The pendulum may not have shown us any new scientific ideas, but it did demonstrate the sheer simplicity in proving something so large and complex. You did not need anything too fancy to build the pendulum, and you could explain to a child just fine how the movement of the pendulum denotes the rotation of Earth. It may now be a relic of years past but there is a certain elegance to it that draws crowds to gaze at its movements for extended periods while it slowly knocks down pins.

Moving through the observatory I came across various very interesting displays, most of which have not changed over the years. One I particularly liked was the Tesla Coil. I was not lucky enough to catch a show this time, but I did get to simply look at its components and admire the ingenuity behind it. The Tesla Coil to me speaks of boldness and ambition. Before the use of electricity and before Gilbert, people would see lightning strikes and have no idea what exactly they were. They could not dream of ever harnessing such power and somehow making it useful. Thanks to individuals like Tesla and Franklin, we now have an excellent understanding of electricity and are able to confine huge amounts of voltage in small rooms without worry. The drive to understand the unknown had allowed us to conquer our fear of the terrifying and change the world.

Another very interesting thing on display at the observatory was the observatory itself. This may seem a bit redundant and silly but it’s an excellent reminder that this is not just a place where they put up ancient artifacts for display. Observatories the world over are populated by scientists who look up into the cosmos and attempt to figure out where we are and where we belong in the universe. This grand and noble task may seem very scientific but it’s highly human in nature for it really seeks to answer the ancient questions: “Who am I? Where did I come from? And where am I going?” A great deal of what we know about how we got here is by examining the vestiges of evidence left behind from cosmic events that transpired millions and millions of years ago, and I believe must keep looking up to learn more about what’s going on right here on Earth.