Griffith Observatory - iPhoneX

Emrys Roberts April 18, 2018

A fun afternoon with my Dad and Brother at the Griffith Observatory this past weekend. Here’s a few snapshots from the day shot on the iPhone X.

The main lawn area of the Observatory offers a lot more oppurutunities to learn then you might think.

Sundial which was actually really accurate. Not sure why I was surprised by this.

Map of the orbits of the planets mapped out on the Observatory grounds. The diagram is 110 Billion times to scale. Really awesome how every part of the observatory is utilized.

240-pound bronze ball, suspended by a cable 40 feet long, swings in a constant direction while the Earth turns beneath it. Takes roughly 42 hours to make the whole revolution. At the equator, this pendulum would not turn.

Camera Obscura that shows the Los Angeles skyline.

This Tesla coil has a demonstration every 60-90 minutes. That is...if the Museum attendant decides to show up on time.

The Samuel Oschin Planetarium's show "Centered in the Universe" turned out to be way more impressive than I was thinking it would be. 📸 Photo credit: Peter Roberts, aka: Dad.

This model is in the larger expansion wing beneath the main lawn of the observatory. We watched a pretty fascinating film hosted by Leonard Nimoy about the construction of it. One really awesome thing to point out about this model of Pluto is they updated with the current photos of Pluto that the New Horizons satellite captured just a short time ago.

Chris and I actually found the Wilder Hall of the Eye Exhibits to be really fascinating. It gives you a visual representation of the entire spectrum of light. 📸 Photo credit: Peter Roberts, aka: Dad.

The main telescope on the roof has open viewings every evening from 7-9pm.

The terrace on the backside of the observatory has some of the best views of Los Angeles.

Chris and I enjoying the view from the Terrace. 📸 Photo credit: Peter Roberts aka: Dad.

The memorial out front of the Observatory that has sculptures of the most influential astronomers of all time. Hipparchus, Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, and Herschel.

Drone Pit stop on I-15

Emrys Roberts December 26, 2017

While on our way back from our small Christmas vacation, we decided to drop into a Rest Stop. The landscape looked so amazing that it felt like a perfect opportunity to grab a few shots with the drone.

Goldfield Old West Town, Lost Dutchman State Park, Arizona

Emrys Roberts December 24, 2017

The Superstition Mountains are located in central Arizona inside the Lost Dutchman State Park. It's a 320-acre state park named after the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine, a famous gold mine legendary among the tales of the Old West. Nestled just below the summit of the Superstition Mountains is a great local attraction called the Goldfield Old West Town. This place was a great little experience that only takes an afternoon to enjoy with the whole family.

Canon 5D Mark iii, Canon 50mm f1.4, ISO 160 — Canon 5D Mark iii, Canon 50mm f1.4, ISO 160

You'll find all kinds on interesting artifacts laying around the property that help to really sell the atmosphere of an old west town. Not to mention great gifts shops with hand crafted nicknacks made by the locals.

One of the great parts of this old west town is the staff that puts on a gunfight show every hour on the hour. These folks really put a lot into the production, and make it fun for the whole family.

The staff really do take the shows very seriously and make it a fun and interactive experience with the people visiting the town. From what I understand they are also volunteers, so if you stop in be sure to give them a tip for doing a great job.