Good morning,
Whitewater’s forecast calls for a sunny day with a high temperature of fifty-five degrees.
In our schools, there will be band concerts at Lakeview and Washington Schools, respectively, today at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
In Wisconsin history, the Wisconsin Historical Society recalls an important date in science —
1897 – Yerkes Observatory Dedicated
On this date the Yerkes Observatory was dedicated. Founded by astronomer George Hale and located in Williams Bay, the Yerkes Observatory houses the world’s largest refracting optical telescope, with a lens of diameter 102 cm/40 inches. It was built through the largess of the tycoon Charles Tyson Yerkes, who rebuilt important parts of the Chicago transportation system after the fire. Situated in a 77-acre park on the shore of Lake Geneva, this observatory was the center for world astronomy in the early 20th century and invited a number of astronomers from around the world, including Japan, for scientific exchange. [Source: Yerkes Observatory Virtual Museum]
Here are photographs of the giant refractor, from 1897 and 2006 —
