ABSTRACT
MERLE F. WALKER Lick Observatory, Board of Studies in Astronomy and Astrophysics University of California, Santa Crnz Receiced Alarch 5, 1970 This paper summarizes the results of a two-year survey of potential dark- sky observing sites in California south of the latitude of San Francisco. This survey was undertaken in 1965 to locate a new site for future large optical telescopes since the growth of lights and smog near Mount Hamilton are increasingly limiting the usefulness of that site for observations of very faint objects and for photometry. The best observing conditions appear to occur alon the coast, very close to the ocean where the cold ocean current holds down e height of the inversion layer, and where there exists a laminar airflow off the ocean, minimizing the optical turbulence and placing the site upwind from sources of smog.