"Exploring the Birthplace of Modern Astrophysics: A 124-Year-Old Observatory"

Yerkes Observatory, known as the birthplace of modern astrophysics, is undergoing a $15 million renovation after nearly facing closure in 2018. The observatory, home to a historic 60-foot-long refracting telescope, is now open for public tours and preparing for the 2024 total solar eclipse. The facility, with its elaborate Victorian-era architecture, was founded by astrophysicist George Ellery Hale and financier Charles Tyson Yerkes. Despite the rise of reflector telescopes, Yerkes Observatory continued to publish influential papers and holds a significant archive of astronomical research.