Life Under a Telescope

When Col. Griffith Jenkins Griffith gazed through a giant telescope at the turn of the 20th century, he reportedly said, “If all mankind could look through that telescope, it would change the world!” Thirty-some years later, the Griffith Observatory opened to the public in the park that bears his name. Before the observatory closed last month for an expected three-year renovation, celestial navigators took a trip up the slopes of Mt. Hollywood to the only place in town where a star is still just a star.

Ursula Parke, retired, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Stephanie Parke, teacher, Van Nuys; Sabrina Parke, Van Nuys

Is there intelligent life in the universe?

Stephanie: Could be.

It’s a large universe.

Do the stars affect human destiny?

Ursula: Man must depend on himself. We can leave magic behind and progress.

How can you tell if a person is an alien in disguise?

Sabrina: If they look like Ben Stein and sound like Al Gore.

What do you wish when you wish upon a star?

Stephanie: That my husband will sell a script soon.

Lena Harjo, special education teacher, Lawndale; Jim Willcots, ironworker, Lawndale

Is there intelligent life in the universe?

Lena: We would have been annihilated a long time ago if we were stupid.

Do the stars affect human destiny?

Lena: No. Stars are stars, and there’s no such thing as human destiny.

Jim: I agree with her. I have to. It’s my destiny.

How can you tell if a person is an alien in disguise?

Lena: Why wear a disguise? This is L.A.

What do you wish when you wish upon a star?

Jim: Being Native American, I wish for peace on earth and goodwill to men and women.

Eleazar Aquino, cook; Guadalupe Aquino medical assistant; Emmanuel and Daisy Aquino

Los Angeles

Is there intelligent life in the universe?

Guadalupe: No, humans are hard enough to understand.

Do the stars affect human destiny?

Emmanuel: Yeah, if a meteorite landed on Earth, it could destroy us.

How can you tell if a person is an alien in disguise?

Guadalupe: I don’t believe in aliens. Weird people, yes; aliens, no.

Eleazar: I’ve seen some pictures of the one they caught in the 1950s.

What do you wish when you wish upon a star?

Daisy: A Boo doll from Monsters, Inc.

Emmanuel: WWF tickets.

Guadalupe: The best for my children.

Eleazar: I don’t believe in wishing. If you want something, you have to work for it.

Irina Bjorklund, actress, Los Angeles; Peter Franzen, actor, Los Angeles

Is there intelligent life in the universe?

Irina: If we’re intelligent, there must be others.

Do the stars affect human destiny?

Peter: We saw the film “ Nostradamus” last night, so definitely, yes.

How can you tell if a person is an alien in disguise?

Peter: If you punch him and he has something green oozing out.

Irina: (Pointing to Peter.)

He is one.

What do you wish when you wish upon a star?

Irina: You’re not supposed to say out loud or it won’t come true.