Question 1: The mountain seen in today’s image got its name from …
- Laurentine Hamilton
- Margaret Hamilton
- Alexander Hamilton
Answer: Laurentine Hamilton
Fact: Mount Hamilton was named in honor of Laurentine Hamilton, a Presbyterian minister who arrived in California during the Gold Rush. In 1861, botanist William H. Brewer invited Hamilton on a hike, and upon reaching the 4,265-foot summit, Hamilton jokingly declared the peak as his own. Later, Brewer proposed naming the mountain after him.
Question 2: What is the metro area in Northern California that includes Mount Hamilton?
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Simi Valley
- Orange County
Answer: San Francisco Bay Area
Fact: The San Francisco Bay Area includes the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. Located in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, Mount Hamilton overlooks the Santa Clara Valley and houses the Lick Observatory.
Question 3: Lick Observatory atop Mount Hamilton houses what was once the largest _ in the world.
- Refracting telescope
- Armillary sphere
- Astronomical clock
Answer: Refracting telescope
Fact: When it first saw light on January 3, 1888, the 36-inch refracting telescope at the Lick Observatory was the largest ever constructed. It held that title until 1897, when the 40-inch refractor at Wisconsin’s Yerkes Observatory became the largest telescope in the world.