The view shows the visitors' entrance to the 200-inch dome at Palomar Observatory, set on a scrub-covered rise with a curving road below. Dark branches frame the blue sky, and the brush around the dome carries the autumn color the caption points out. The 200-inch Hale Telescope was the world's largest when it began operation in the late 1940s, and Palomar Mountain became a destination for tourists as well as astronomers.
White border; color photo reproduction typical of the chrome era; no printed text on front. Divided back; printed caption at upper left; publisher imprint "NATURAL COLOR REPRODUCTION • FRYE & SMITH LTD. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA" runs vertically along the divider; printed headings "POST CARD," "This Space For Address Only," and "Stamp." No postmark, stamp, or handwriting; dealer pencil mark "#59 1-" lower right (stock number and price).
Cite this card
Palomar Observatory 200-inch dome, Palomar Mountain, CA, circa 1948, postcard, c. 1948. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/palomar-observatory-200-inch-dome-palomar-mountain-ca-circa. Accessed November 2, 2026.
