Seeing Lick Observatory from a plane5 ★
The world's first permanently occupied mountaintop observatory, opened in 1888. Founder James Lick is buried beneath its main telescope. Look for white domes on the summit of Mount Hamilton east of San Jose.
6 of our routes pass it. California · rated 5 of 10
The easy pick
San Jose to Long Beach: sit on the left, on the climb, 6 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego to Oakland | Left | on the way down |
| San Francisco to Fresno | Left | 12 min after takeoff |
| San Jose to Long Beach | Left | on the climb, 6 min after takeoff |
| San Jose to Ontario | Left | on the climb, 6 min after takeoff |
| San Jose to San Diego | Left | on the climb, 6 min after takeoff |
| San Jose to Orange County | Left | on the climb, 6 min after takeoff |
From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day. Where the best seat for the whole flight is on the other side, you'd trade this sight for more elsewhere.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Lick Observatory from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (6 of 6). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Lick Observatory from a plane?
Near the airport, on the climb or on the way down, and mid-flight on longer routes: see the table for each route.
Do clouds matter?
Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.
More
San Jose SAP Center San Jose International Airport Tesla Fremont Factory Apple Park San Diego (SAN) San Francisco (SFO) All routes