Yerkes
Observatory
The Yerkes Observatory is an astronomy observatory
of the University of Chicago, in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. It was
created in 1897 by George Ellery Hale and financed by Charles T.
Yerkes. The observatory represented a shift in the thinking of
observatories, from mere housing for a telescope and observer, to
the modern concept of observation equipment integrated with
laboratory space for physics and chemistry. A 102 cm (40 inch)
refracting telescope is located inside; it was the largest
telescope until the construction of Mount Wilson's reflector. It
remains the largest refracting telescope ever used.
The 102 cm (40 inch) refractor at
the Yerkes Observatory.
In addition to the Yerkes refractor, the observatory also has a 102
cm (40 inch) and a 61 cm (24 inch) reflecting telescope. Several
smaller telescopes are used for educational outreach
purposes.
Current research includes the interstellar medium, globular cluster
formation, infrared astronomy, and near-Earth objects.
Additionally, the University of Chicago maintains a sizable
engineering center in the observatory, dedicated to making and
maintaining scientific instruments.
The current director is Dr. Kyle M. Cudworth. In March, 2005, the
University of Chicago announced plans to sell the observatory and
its land. Initial reports had two purchasers interested, an east
coast developer who wants to build luxury homes and Aurora
University, which has a campus straddling the Williams Bay
property. The Geneva Lake Conservancy, a regional conservation and
land trust organization, has taken the position that it is critical
to save, in place, the historic Yerkes Observatory structures and
telescopes for education and research, as well as to conserve the
rare undeveloped, wooded lakefront and deep forest sections of the
77 acre (312,000 m²) site.
Issue #137
