By Staff Writer, Armig Boghigian

Bumper to bumper, the slow and steady pace of traffic on the endlessly busy Los Feliz Boulevard was the least perfect scenario to be caught in. Though the traffic seemed never ending, I could not be more enthused.
I was on my way to the Griffith Observatory, an opportunity I had been waiting for ever since it reopened late last year. With a collective sigh of relief, we finally got out of the hell hole of a street and went on our way up the mountain slope.
To my left, I spotted a deer perched on a large stone and to my right was the breathtaking view of Los Angeles. For those who decide to visit the observatory, driving up at night is recommended because the view of L.A.’s lights is worth the drive.
With the reopening came a new method of reaching the observatory, a mandatory bus shuttle up the mountain side. Just recently, however, the observatory has allowed visitors to use the parking lot again. If the lot is full, you can park at the side of the route and walk the rest of the way.
The observatory is perched on a flat piece of land which overlooks the L.A. basin.   Moreover, as interesting as the view is, there is more to see inside.
The first thing that caught my attention after walking in was the pendulum. A giant ball attached to a thin inextensible wire placed right at the entrance of the observatory, which proves the rotation of the Earth. Looking up, I noticed the painting on the ceiling of the dome. An amazing work of art within itself, it depicts all the planets in our galaxy next to the Roman Gods which they were named after.
The Griffith Observatory offers many different exhibits, such as the Hall of the Eye, or the Hall of the Sky. Some of the more interesting ones are the Periodic Table of Elements and Tesla’s Coil.
Unlike the usual Periodic Table you find on your science classroom walls, in this one the elements are actually present. Held in small containers you will find the elements; it is pretty cool to note that the oxygen container is empty.
The Tesla’s Coil is a coil in a small glass room. This coil produces large sparks that surge around it contained in the glass room.
While the exhibits are interesting, you can not leave this place until you see the planetarium show. This show costs $7 per person and is absolutely amazing. You sit in new comfortable chairs and wait for the show to start. As the lights slowly dim, your seat reclines until you are facing the stars, literally.
Every show is presented by a live, engaging, and knowledgeable storyteller. Our storyteller had an attention demanding voice which made this experience very enjoyable.
The show opens with a glorious sunset and transforms into the most overwhelming vault of stars. Transported from familiar constellations to cosmic destinations, you travel through space and time and learn about the past of astronomy, and about the expanding universe.
The show is about 35 minutes long, and once done, you can either go to the gift shop downstairs which has some pretty neat stuff, or go grab a bite to eat from the “Café at the End of the   Universe.”    
 I urge anyone who is in the Los Angeles area to visit the observatory. The observatory is open Tuesday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free.