Skepticblog

Mt. Wilson Observatory, as you will recall from the previous posts, is the location where we open and close the TV pilot. We used the 100” Hooker Telescope facility as the backdrop. We were looking for something awesome in scale that conveyed a sense of wonder, discovery and science. We originally were looking at planetariums, but after finding out about Mt. Wilson, we all agreed that this was a much better location.

Mt. Wilson Telescope, imagine the entire dome rotating. It does, and it's awesome!

The pilot episode itself didn’t really deal with astronomy or space and planets. At first, it would seem a bit strange to incorporate an observatory into the show but we we had a reason. We were consciously creating an atmosphere of science, technology and inquiry. In the TV medium it’s as much about what you show as what you say. Also, because the pilot was shot primarily as a show-piece for the networks to review, we wanted to create a demo that had a grand sense of scale and production value. That would help the potential buyer of the show understand the scale of the program that we were pitching. This isn’t some rinky-dink little science show, but a big-budget program about science, critical thinking and the team that helps people understand what happens when these ideas are set-aside.

An example of the ancient yet still working D.C. electrical system to slew the telescope and rotate the dome.

In the brisk and thin atmosphere of 100’ high dome, the cast, crew and I worked quickly to get the many shots on our list completed. There was a lot of dialogue to get through and many angles to shoot. There were two shots that quickly became my favorite. We set up one shot that had the whole Skeptologist team lined up against the railing that surrounded the big light blue metal framework of the telescope. We oriented the camera low angle on the floor across from it on a dolly track and as the camera slowly crept along, Dave slewed the telescope to some pretty radical angles, right in front of the team. That telescope moved so smoothly and the sound was cool too. We sped that shot up a bit in the final edit and the result is a grand shot of an awesome team and a terrific piece of science technology in motion. My second favorite shot took us to the floor beneath the telescope. Again, we laid dolly tracks to accomplish a majestic shot looking up at our Skeptologists on the rail as we crawl under the bottom of the moving telescope. It’s a great shot. Those were all part of a sequence where we let the audience and the team see the telescope in action.

The cast of The Skeptologists.

Unfortunately we were only there during the day, so we were unable to peer through the marvelous telescope. They conduct regular tours through the facility, but the 100” is generally off-limits, and the only public viewing is through the 60” telescope that is also on the premises. The 60” “Hale” Telescope saw first light in 1908 almost ten years before the 100” and is one of the largest telescopes that is available to public viewing.

One of the other memorable experiences at the 100” is standing on the outer ring looking at the giant telescope then having the dome rotated. The ancient DC machine, pulleys, cables and tracks still work perfectly (Thanks to the rigorous maintenance by the staff) a large click and a eerie hum precedes the slow rotation of the entire dome. Standing there, you would swear that the telescope in the center, anchored securely to tons and tons of concrete, is now spinning and that you are standing still. Open the shutters a bit and when the top of a tree goes by, you realize that you are moving, not the scope, It’s a very strange effect that most everyone has the same sensation– a strange feeling in their gut. This happens for a minute while your brain is trying to wrap itself around the concept of the larger object that surrounds your field of view being the object that’s moving, not the telescope in the center. It’s said that when Albert Einstein was visiting he facility, and he received the demonstration, they asked him what was moving the telescope or the floor and his reply was “It’s all relative.”

One of the cool things that Phil Plait, Camera Operator Jonathan Hall and I got the privilege to do was to ride the service gantry all the way up to the top of the dome. That was a long way up! Phil had his bitty camcorder and he was talking his camera through every step. We brought up a production camera and we were able to get a great shot looking down into the telescope from the top as the mirror doors opened. It was a very science fiction moment.

Phil Plait atop the telescope service gantry, peering into the primary mirror.

During the shoot the Skeptologist cast announced our two topics for the show, The first: Ghost Hunting Tools of the Trade. The Skeptologists were to investigate the claims made by paranormal investigators of electrical equipment being used to detect the presence of ghosts.

Taking the cue from the fact that everyone was tired from the thin air and many flights of stairs, the idea of getting a shot of energy was brought up, which led to a discussion of the popular Wheatgrass Juice and how some people claim that it gives you energy and many health benefits. It was decided, the team would split up, half to go to a Wheatgrass bar and try the green “superfood”, and the others would go see if electrical instruments could detect ghosts.

We got through the production on Mt. Wilson without any problems, and we had great footage “in the can” (OK, I haven’t used cans since I started this business 19 years ago.)

Looking into the telescope at the 100" mirror

We released the cast and the crew and I started the wonderful process of “wrapping out” the production gear, back down the stairs and into the trucks.

It was a long day in the cold thin air, but an amazing place, that had a real feeling of importance and relevance.

We were off to a great start, the team had all come together really well, were starting to get a feel for each other and everyone seemed excited about what we were trying to accomplish and where we would go from here.

The next morning after a quick breakfast at the hotel, we split the team and production crew up to head to two different locations: An organic health food store with Wheatgrass and the the famous Long Beach landmark: The Queen Mary!

I’ve asked Shawna Young, one of my producers, to take you behind the scenes of the quaint little organic food store, with the funny little man and his love for the Wheatgrass. Next week you’ll hear that story.