Center of the Universe
Center of the Universe is a historic site in California, at a modelled elevation of 363 m. Strawberry Peak stands 1,879 m to the north-northeast, 6.5 miles off. The nearest named place is JPL Building 186 (Theodore von Kármán Museum and Auditorium), a museum 0.1 miles away. Arroyo Seco Historic Parkway - Route 110 passes 4.1 miles off.
What the record says
- Inscription
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration - California Institute of Technology - JPL The Center of the Universe "dare mighty things"
How to reach it
- 4.1 mi off the Arroyo Seco Historic Parkway - Route 110, National
Overlooks nearby
- Point Grandview · 9 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- JPL Building 186 (Theodore von Kármán Museum and Auditorium): 0.1 mi
- Kidspace Children's Museum: 3.2 mi
- The Gamble House: 3.5 mi
- Pasadena Museum of History: 3.6 mi
- Norton Simon Museum of Art: 3.9 mi
- Olberz Park: 1.4 mi
- Charles White Park: 1.5 mi
- Memorial Park: 1.8 mi
- Glenola Park: 1.9 mi
- Emerald Isle Park: 2.1 mi
- Cerro Negro: 2.1 mi
- Wella's Peak: 2.9 mi
- Flint Peak: 2.9 mi
- Brown Mountain: 2.9 mi
- Echo Mountain: 3.2 mi
- Miner's hut: 3.0 mi
- Mt Lowe Observatory Ruins: 3.1 mi
- Mount Lowe Railway Historical Marker: 3.1 mi
- Echo Mountain House: 3.1 mi
- Resevoir: 3.2 mi
- Unincorporated Mural: 0.9 mi
- Williamson Gallery: 2.3 mi
- Student Gallery: 2.3 mi
- The Birds and Trees of Komitas: 3.5 mi
- Our Community in the Foothills: 4.1 mi
- Food Garden: 0.6 mi
- Marcy's Garden: 0.6 mi
- Bev's Native Garden: 0.6 mi
- Bev's Vegetable Garden: 0.7 mi
- Marcy's Vegetable Garden: 0.7 mi
- Enchanted Railroad: 2.1 mi
- Dilan's Home (Beverly Hills 90210): 3.3 mi
- Walsh Home (Beverly Hills 90210): 3.4 mi
- Colorado Street Bridge: 3.9 mi
- Old Pasadena Historic District: 4.1 mi
- Art Center Food Garden: 2.3 mi
- Paul Little: 2.5 mi
- Switzer Picnic Area: 4.8 mi
- Sycamore Glen: 5.5 mi
- Red Box Picnic Area: 5.6 mi
- Gould Canyon Trail: 0.3 mi
- Hahamongna Watershed Natural Park: 0.5 mi
- Millard Canyon Open Space: 1.2 mi
- Upper Arroyo Seco: 1.5 mi
- Andrea Wilson Triangle: 1.5 mi
- Not Much of a Spring: 7.9 mi
- Silk Tassel Spring: 8.0 mi
- Goldenrod Spring: 10.4 mi
- Fascination Spring: 10.6 mi
- Yerba Buena Spring: 11.1 mi
- Millard Falls: 2.2 mi
- Brown Mountain Dam Waterfall: 2.6 mi
- Royal Falls: 3.3 mi
- Ribbon Rocks Falls: 3.3 mi
- Moss Grotto Falls: 3.3 mi
- Mother's Beach: 22.2 mi
- Palisades Beach: 22.9 mi
- Will Rogers State Beach: 24.4 mi
- El Segundo Beach: 24.7 mi
- Castle Rock Beach: 24.9 mi
- Upper Switzer Falls Grotto: 4.1 mi
- Porter Ranch Palisades: 22.0 mi
- Spa Palace: 11.4 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 10.7 miles of Center of the Universe. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Peak | NNE 28° | 1,879 m | 6.5 mi |
| San Gabriel Peak | NE 56° | 1,878 m | 5.2 mi |
| Mount Disappointment | NE 52° | 1,819 m | 5.1 mi |
| Mount Lawlor | NE 40° | 1,807 m | 6.3 mi |
| Vetter Mountain | NE 51° | 1,783 m | 10.7 mi |
| Mount Deception | NE 46° | 1,767 m | 4.8 mi |
| Mount Markham | ENE 60° | 1,746 m | 5.0 mi |
| Mount Wilson | ENE 76° | 1,737 m | 6.7 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 06:57 | 18:32 | 19:05 |
| June solstice | 05:42 | 19:31 | 20:08 |
| September equinox | 06:42 | 18:18 | 18:51 |
| December solstice | 06:56 | 16:09 | 16:48 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 57 | 58 | 61 | 63 | 66 | 71 | 76 | 77 | 76 | 70 | 62 | 56 |
| Precip in | 4.5 | 5.2 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 3.3 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Pasadena, 4 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap element node/8148510575
Day trips start here
- La Cañada Flintridge · 1 mi
- Glendale · 4 mi
- Pasadena · 4 mi
- South Pasadena · 6 mi
- San Marino · 7 mi
- San Gabriel · 8 mi
Take the scenic way to Center of the Universe.
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