Yerkes Observatory

[Jeff]

This is only about 40min from home so we took a ride out there for a tour. It houses the largest refractor in the world - 40 inches.

South entrance and little dome for the 41" reflector.
http://www.seivertfamily.com/POTN/Yerkes1a.jpg

There she is. Now that's a mount to drool over.
http://www.seivertfamily.com/POTN/Yerkes2.jpg


With Richard Dreiser standing in for scale. The floor moves up and down depending on the target & height of the observer.
http://www.seivertfamily.com/POTN/Yerkes3.jpg


The big dome for the 40" refractor
http://www.seivertfamily.com/POTN/Yerkes4.jpg


For more info:
http://astro.uchicago.edu/yerkes/

[troypiggo]

Wow, what a beast. Did you get to view through it at night, or just a daytime tour?

[Adrena1in]

I would LOVE to look through a scope like that. I was speaking to a chap who's working on a new type of scope, and he was talking about making a 40" or 50" one, and has offered me a trip there to take a look. I'll be there in a shot!!

[Jeff]

Wow, what a beast. Did you get to view through it at night, or just a daytime tour?

Just the daytime tour. You have to be on staff or a University of Chicago student to use it. They do allow the public to schedule time on a 24" reflector at about $25/hr/person though during certain times of the year.

I forgot to mention too that the building was built in 1895! Beautiful stonework outside and in.