Yerkes Observatory, Astronomical observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, US
The observatory contains a 40-inch refracting telescope housed within a large dome structure at an elevation of 334 meters.
The University of Chicago operated this research facility from 1897 to 2018, when ownership transferred to the Yerkes Future Foundation.
Edwin Hubble, Nancy Grace Roman, and Carl Sagan conducted research at this facility, which features ornate Beaux Arts and Romanesque architectural elements.
The observatory organizes public tours focusing on astrophysics, architecture, and local history, with guides explaining scientific discoveries and engineering innovations.
The grounds surrounding the observatory were designed by the same landscape architects responsible for New York's Central Park.
Location: Williams Bay
Inception: 1895
Elevation above the sea: 334 m
GPS coordinates: 42.57028,-88.55667
Latest update: May 27, 2025 06:51
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