August 7, 2025

August 7, 2025

After breakfast my family car-pooled to the opposite side of Geneva Lake to Yerkes Observatory for a fascinating tour of this historic structure. This Birthplace of Modern Astrophysics was established in 1892 by famed astronomer George Ellery Hale and the newly-established University of Chicago. It was financed by businessman Charles Yerkes who made his fortune building the iconic Chicago L (elevated train) system.

Our tour started in the lobby where we learned this history. We also identified many of the unique architectural details (stars, constellations, & famous figures) carved into the Beaux Arts facade.

This astronomy laboratory had one of the first telescopes to have a camera attached making precise scientific observations possible. The observatory has a huge library of historic photographic plates taken over a hundred years ago. These earliest images of the universe were widely published to the general public.

The next tour stop was inside the huge observatory dome containing the largest (40-inch diameter) refracting telescope in the world. A refractor uses large lenses like in binoculars. It is mounted on a large perfectly balanced equatorial mount. Once aligned with the earth, its motorized movement allows it to easily track stars allowing for all-night photographic exposures. Before installation, this telescope was exhibited at the 1893 Columbian Exposition.

The eyepiece at the end of the telescope is far above the floor. I always assumed astronomers had to climb some cumbersome ladder to view the stars. Remarkably that is unnecessary. Instead the observatory floor is a giant elevator that moves up and down as needed. We watched a demonstration of the still-working mechanism. Very Cool!

The University of Chicago conducted research with this telescope until very recently. Carl Sagan and Edwin Hubble were among the students. Unfortunately refractor technology was obsolete shortly after it was built. George Hale quickly left to build larger reflector (mirror-based) telescopes in California. The cloudy weather of the Midwest is not conducive to astronomy. I had to explain the science to my family.

After lunch and a little more shopping our family took an hour-long boat excursion aboard the Lady of the Lake. Geneva Lake was the summer playground of the Chicago elite. We heard the same names recalled in yesterday’s Chicago River cruise. Unfortunately most of the mansions from that bygone era have all been torn down. The Wrigleys had the largest stretch of shoreline.

In the evening we all had dinner together at an Italian restaurant in downtown Lake Geneva.