SURPRISING STUFF

The Great Refractor telescope at Yerkes will finally be getting some long-awaited maintenance.
Thanks to the generosity of The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the Great Refractor telescope, The Sharon and Charles Angell Historic Refractor, will be undergoing some long-awaited maintenance in preparation for restoration in October and November of this year. While the Refractor is out of commission, the observatory is excited to welcome the public for a special series of Exploring the Night Sky tours with the 24″ Reflector.

For just five nights this fall, join the Astronomy Team for an exclusive evening illuminating the inner workings of Yerkes after dark. Each tour features a viewing of the cosmos with our historic 24″ reflecting telescope if skies are clear. If skies are not clear, you will delve into Yerkes vaults with 180,000 glass astronomical images, explore the evolution of astrophotography through over a century of equipment, and visit darkrooms in our subterranean chambers. Regardless of atmospheric conditions, this is a two-hour immersion inside the observatory that changed the way we see the Universe. This is a night event that takes place in dark or small spaces; thus, it’s an experience best enjoyed by ages 13 and up. Because of the historic construction of the building and domes, there are several flights of stairs (standard, steep, and tight spirals) that will be climbed and descended during both the clear and cloudy night programs. As such, this experience is not wheelchair accessible.

Person of the Week

Lim0, great African artist at Art in the Park.