GEORGE ELLERY HALE by Steve Murray a Curious Mind And

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P the world’s largest refractor. joined theuniversity. Thegreat domestillhousesthe40-inch telescope, kes, theYerkes Observatorywasdedicatedin1897,fiveyearsafterHale Hale’s deal.Funded inlarge partbyChicagobusinessmanCharlesYer- photograph, takenbyFrankE.Ross in1925,showstheendresult of and installagreat refractor withinthree yearsofhisappointment.This promise from Harper thattheuniversitywouldbuildanewobservatory of Chicagoin1892.Duringthehiring negotiations,Haleextracteda William R.Harper, George ElleryHalejoinedthefacultyofUniversity JUNE 2018 JUNE u nature, supported by a family that encouraged intellectual intellectual encouraged that afamily by supported nature, inquisitive His Burnham. H. Daniel architect Chicago the with architecture studying 14, was informally Hale to when home family of the roof on the mounted telescope refracting Clark a4-inch with planets and Moon the observing to brother, his with hebuilt laboratory shop and woodworking the from him taking diverse, were interests His years. tive forma- his during history and literature, of poetry, works him with sharing development, creative his encouraged Hale, (née Brown) Scranton Hale’s Mary mother, instruments. and tools with him providing career, early his through and youth his during son his helped Hale, Ellery William father, Hale’s interests. science his encouraged that family Chicago astronomy. modern transformed one that and life, acrowded It was institutions. scholarly international and national both shape to helped and tools, powerful most of its some astrophysics gave Sun, the about discoveries pioneering made who ascientist Hale, George by developed telescope last the was reflector big The on stars. holes feeding black and bursts, gamma-ray — supernovae, transients infrared and optical study to Telescope Hale inch IMPRESSIVE INVESTMENT George Ellery Hale was born June 29, June born was 1868, Hale awealthy into Ellery George dents use spectra obtained with the observatory’s 200- observatory’s the with obtained spectra use dents (Caltech). stu- her She and Kasliwal world,” Mansi says the mount-top in favorite my is Observatory alomar SKY & •SKY TELESCOPE A At theinvitationofuniversitypresident Life transform modern astronomy.transform modern spirit helpedGeorgeElleryHale A curiousmindandaninventive

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY (2) UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY (2) r better equipment.better to apath be might university the that hoped and telescope research abigger 1892. in wanted of Chicago Hale University established newly the to member afaculty as recruited was he until teaching and research conducting years two next the Hespent father. his from agift refractor, a12-inch with (Chicago) Kenwood home family’s the at observatory sonal up aper- heset honeymoon, his from hereturned when thesis. baccalaureate for his basis the formed that adiscovery atmosphere, solar the in vortices are sunspots that hedetermined it, With light. of wavelength asingle at Sun the photograph to he invented spectroheliograph the was contribution technological Hale’s first science. the about ideas Hale’s own influenced likely together experience their —and movements and tions posi- their just than rather of stars properties physical the —studying astronomy “new” the in believer early an was director, observatory the Pickering, Edward Observatory. College Harvard the at (MIT),of Technology hevolunteered level. collegiate the at study obustness, served Hale well as he grew and moved on to on to moved and hegrew as well Hale served obustness, Hale married two days after his graduation from MIT and, and, MIT from graduation his after days two married Hale Institute Massachusetts the at years Hale’s student During © 2018 Sky , a device , adevice & Telescope. and planets. brother, toobservingtheMoon and laboratoryhebuiltwithhis him fromthewoodworkingshop His interests werediverse,taking Charles Yerkes. magnate portation trans- and financier from construction scope tele- and lenses for the money obtained Hale Harper, Rainey William president of Chicago of University help the With Midwest. the to lenses the bring to work on aplan to went instantly Hale on them. ment pay- complete to unable been had but California, Wilson, on Mount telescope for anew lenses 40-inch two ordered had California of Southern University the that learned York, he New in where (AAAS) of Science Advancement for the Association American of the ameeting addressed All The same year he joined the University of Chicago, Hale Hale of Chicago, University the hejoined year same The Rights

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35 36 George ElleryHale

p workers hoisting the polaraxistotopofmount. in 1896.Thisimage, takeninNovemberofthatyear, shows construction Observatory. Thetelescopehousingwasputinplacetheobservatory Columbian Expositionof1893inChicago before beinginstalledinYerkes tor manufactured byWarner &SwaseyCompanywere displayedatthe JUNE 2018 JUNE HANDLE WITHCARE SKY & •SKY TELESCOPE The mountingandtubeofthe40-inch refrac-

© 2018 Sky & Telescope. Hale’s spectroheliograph attachedtotherefractor. to theUniversityofChicago.Thisphotograph,takenin1890s,shows to cedehisownKenwoodObservatory, completewith12-inchrefractor, no competition to Pasadena.” to competition no was Bay Williams Hale, “For (Yerkes Observatory). Koehler Dan says permanently,” Wisconsin in stay to intended he ever that “I doubt California. to move to time was it institution, the from won approval observatory solar for a60-foot posal pro- his When the mountain. on observatory solar a finance to Institution Carnegie the to heapplied observations, his with Pleased Wilson. Mount at seeing solar the tested Hale 1903, June In projects. research pure fund to intended was which organization, philanthropic the to advisors original one of the was Hale Carnegie. Andrew from $10 gift million a with established was of Washington Institution Carnegie into storage. put was 1898 in disk hedied the and effort, entire the fund to inclined still was Hale elder the While refused. had university the but well, for as it amounting provide to institution the urged Hehad son’s his aspirations. support to university the to disk glass a60-inch donated had Hale 1894, William In spectroscopy. for better required apertures the provide could reflectors only that and limit, practical their reached had telescopes refractor that astronomers of many view the shared also Hale time, this By elements. chemical identifying of chance abetter and dispersion line spectral for increased necessary was capability light-gathering More instruments. bigger for yet planning hewas Soon, however. years, few Hale’s telescopes. with made ies discover- astrophysics of the many so enabled eventually that observations, stellar with them compare to and laboratory, the in processes physical and chemical test to ability the was It facility. telescope-and-dome aconventional than more as designed was observatory the Wilson, on Mount repeated be would work,” that approach an chemical and spectroscopic, for optical, of “laboratories Hale’s vision Toconsin. realize Wis- Lake, of Geneva side north on the Bay of Williams confirmed. was support financial his before even staff atechnical hiring began Hale plans, own his in confidence lifelong become would what world. Displaying the in refractor largest on the be would name his that him Yerkes’ to assuring egoby appealed Hale t would later add a 60-foot and a 150-foot solar telescope — the —the telescope a150-foot solar and adda60-foot later would itup. (He setting winter the spent Yerkes and from on loan Wilson Mount to shipped Telescope Snow Solar the He had loans. family and money own 1903, his using December in west moved nevertheless Hale project. Wilson Mount the to funds didn’t commit of approval message Carnegie initial The ComesIt All Together All SOLAR STUDY George Hale saw an opportunity again in 1902 in the when again opportunity an saw Hale George a lasted only telescope new the with Hale’s satisfaction 1897 in village the in established was Yerkes Observatory Rights Reserved. Aspartofthetermshisemployment,Haleagreed

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UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY (2) UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY (2)

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY (2) the original disk was salvage- was disk original the that gambled Hale desperation, In success. without but ment, equip- and methods new with again tried Saint-Gobain ing. - polish and grinding withstand would it doubted Ritchey and bubbles, air It contained failure. one. bigger a attempt to willing operation only the and disk 60-inch the cast had that company French the glassworks, Saint-Gobain the to order adisk 1906 with pressed in September forward Hale but out, checked fully been hadn’t yet telescope 60-inch the as commitment, arisky It was him. after named be would and world the in telescope biggest the be would it that standing under- the with disk, 100-inch of a grinding and casting for the pay to offered Hale, to friend and astronomer, amateur executive, business Angeles Los Hooker, a John completed. was reflector 60-inch the for research. of refractors end the marked effectively telescope 60-inch of the operation Successful weight. structure’s of the 95% supported that system bearing amercury-filled featured also design The tracking. telescope’s the disturbing without instruments change to astronomers allowing telescope, the acoudé focus use to scope tele- major first the It was Ritchey. George engineer, optical Hale’sby chief figuring and of grinding years four 1908 after December in mount telescope its in installed Yerkesat was ( today investigated being still are that —phenomena next the to cycle one sunspot from switch hemisphere each in polarities that and equator solar the across symmetric are sunspots in polarities magnetic that states Law, which Hale-Nicholson the yield work would body. Later extraterrestrial an on identified were fields magnetic that time first the magnetic, were sunspots that show to spectroheliograph amodified used Hale later. weeks two vatory Yerkes Obser- from resigned Hale message. funding Carnegie the received hefinally when year of that December in rewarded again was confidence His California. to Yerkes colleagues his moving 1904 commenced June and in land observatory for the lease a99-year ments.) Hesigned l argest in the world until 1962 — to the observatory’s instru- 1962 observatory’s world until the —to the in argest The first disk looked like a like looked disk first The before even telescope for abigger planning was Hale But ahome found earlier have might that mirror 60-inch The Wilson. on Mount year abig 1908 was , which sent light to a point outside outside apoint to light sent , which S&T: Jan. 2018, Jan. p. 18). © 2018 ultimate networking specialist atatime Sky when networking wasn’t evena Hale wasthe & Telescope. concept. of a star’s diameter. Fritz Zwicky determined that the gravi- the that determined Zwicky Fritz diameter. of astar’s measurement first the make to interferometer a20-foot used Michelson A. A. expanding. was universe the that established and variables Cepheid to distances measuring by own our side out- agalaxy was Andromeda that Hubble determined Edwin dome Wilson. on Mount Hooker the inside omy happened “world’s largest telescope.” another produced had Hale that realized attendees and tial, poten- true its showed it however, stabilized, had mirror the between Hale and Ritchey ( Ritchey and Hale between relationship the was so mirror, the over tensions their given but, years seven after finished was mirror The objections. strong Ritchey’s over itcompleted have to decided able and All Some of the most important work of 20th-century astron- work of 20th-century important most of the Some As before, Hale began the project boldly, but without suf- boldly, without but project the began Hale before, As Rights

Reserved. to adjust to ambient temperatures. Once Once temperatures. ambient to adjust to mirror for the needed were hours Several 1, 1917, ber suspense. some with came work. the complete to Institution negie Car- the $10 via another million supply to Carnegie Andrew convince to had Hale Eventually, price. total the raised ficulties dif- engineering other and housing, and mount the like components critical cover Hooker’s wouldn’t money financing: ficient First light for the 100-inch on Novem- 100-inch for the light First p their latestwork. elevating floorin a1900circular describing scope, 90-footgreat dome, and75-foot ing oftheYerkes Observatory’s 40-inch ner &SwaseyCompanyincluded this draw- t mented intheautumnof1896. Yerkes Observatorywastinnedandce- MAKING PLANS skyandtelescope.com TOPPING ITOFF S&T: Oct. 2016, Oct. p. 66). Telescope makersWar- The great domeof

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37 38 George ElleryHale

foot solartower. length sowashousedinalongbuilding,nexttowhichbuiltthe60- to makesolarobservations.Thescopehada60-foot(18-meter)focal George W. Snow. in1904 HaletransportedtheinstrumenttoCalifornia gift toYerkes Observatoryfrom HelenE.Snowinmemoryofherfather, JUNE 2018 JUNE q needs. national for expertise scientific harness to cil Coun- Research National the creating in instrumental he was of Technology. 1916, In Institute California the into Institute Polytechnic Throop the transforming role in amajor played he and Union, Astronomical International the became later which Research, Solar in for Union Cooperation International 1899. in Society the 1904 In hefounded Astronomical can Ameri- the establishing 1895, in in driver amajor hewas and Journal Astrophysical The hefounded cago of Chi- University the at still While of telescopes. struction con- the beyond far science affected Hale’s industriousness A “Type A” Astronomer Palomar. on Mount 1949, record own his beat Hale when Hubble. by lated calcu- universe of the size the doubled discovery, that with and, variables Cepheid of types two identified Baade Walter matter. of dark hint early an offering luminosity, their from expected than greater far was clusters of galaxy mass tational SUN SPOTTING The Hooker remained the world’s largest telescope until until world’s telescope the largest remained Hooker The SKY & •SKY TELESCOPE The Snowhorizontaltelescope(coelostat)wasa

with James Keeler Keeler James with © 2018 Sky & Telescope. c. 1904. view from MountWilson, George Haletakesinthe in his honor at its 1948 honor its at his in Observatory Palomar at reflector new the old. years 69 Hewas astroke. after earlier months afew admitted been hehad where 21, 1938, asanitarium, at on February died Hale life. his beyond adecade stretch would enterprise the Regrettably, inches. 200 to back design his hescaled however, construct, to difficult too be itwould that convinced being Diego. After of San north Mountain, on Palomar telescope a300-inch build to was ambition initial His Foundation. Rockefeller the from award a$6 million with California in south farther astronomy in 1928 chapter anew heopened in and Wilson, for Mount problem agrowing was Angeles telescope. big next his for and planned writing scientific of his much hedid where Pasadena, in laboratory solar small a hebuilt 1923. year, in next The Observatory Wilson Mount of the director as resigned Hale health, ill by Weakened ums. sanitari- in periods repeated spend and meetings decline him make to enough serious breakdowns nervous to led symptoms Worsening of depression. bouts and headaches from suffered Koehler. says aconcept,” even wasn’t networking when atime at specialist networking ultimate the He was personally. knew and with corresponded Hale that time the q All MAN ONAMISSION Sponsors named named Sponsors Los greater from pollution light that aware was Hale long had Hale atoll. took pace frenetic the time, Over at living of scientists huge number the by struck “I’ve been Rights Reserved.

Wilson. dome onMount the Hooker happened inside astronomy century work of20th- most important Some ofthe

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60-INCH SCOPE: DENNIS DI CICCO / S&T; MIRROR DISK: UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY; 200-INCH TELESCOPE: PALOMAR OBSERVATORY / CALTECH UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY (2)

60-INCH SCOPE: DENNIS DI CICCO / S&T; MIRROR DISK: UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY; 200-INCH TELESCOPE: PALOMAR OBSERVATORY / CALTECH © 2018 Sky & Telescope. dedication onJune3,1948. that gathered atPalomarObservatoryontheoccasionoftelescope’s q the completionofobservatory’s 100-inchscopein1917. December 13,1908.Itwastheworld’s largest functionaltelescopeuntil qq Hale Telescope atPalomarObservatory. ished 200-inchPyrex mirrorGlassWorks diskmadebyCorning forthe t All RECORD BREAKER HUMANS FORSCALE GIGANTIC GLASS Rights

Reserved. MountWilson’s 60-inchscopesawfirstlighton The 200-inchHaleTelescope dwarfed thecrowd Two (unidentified)menstandonthe unpol- skyandtelescope.com

• JUNE 2018 JUNE 9 3 George Ellery Hale

dedication ceremony. The Hale Telescope t MR. MONEYBAGS Andrew Carnegie’s money saw first light in January 1949, and Edwin played a pivotal role in the construction of Mount Hubble was the first astronomer to use it. Wilson, funding the construction of Hale’s dreams via the Carnegie Institution of Washington. This With four times the light-gathering power photo shows Hale and Carnegie in front of the of the Hooker, it remained the largest steel dome of the 60-inch telescope, c. 1910. telescope in the world until 1975, when the Russian BTA-6 telescope (238 inches, or 6 meters) saw first light. Because the Wilson are now available to the public BTA-6 suffered from several design prob- (S&T: Sept. 2016, p. 22). lems, however, many astronomers extend Of all Hale’s telescopes, only the 200- the Hale record to 1993 when the Keck inch reflector is still used for research. Telescope began operation. Mansi Kasliwal has been working with Time ultimately caught up with the it since she was a student at Caltech. telescopes at Williams Bay and Mount “When you enter the main dome for the Wilson. The 40-inch refractor at Yerkes first time,” she says, “you feel a part of Observatory transitioned to a teaching something much bigger. You get a feeling tool after 1990; the observatory is sched- of awe and inspiration and history that uled to close permanently in October 2018. The last research really leaves an impression. If you’re a young student, it can project on the 60-inch Mount Wilson telescope ended in change your life.” the mid-1990s. Although the Hooker Telescope was retired in 2015, Mount Wilson Observatory celebrated the famous ¢ STEVE MURRAY is a freelance science and technology reflector on November 1, 2017, the date of its centennial. writer who stargazes from his home in San Diego, California. Viewing opportunities through both telescopes on Mount He’ll travel anywhere to explore new observatories.

George Hale’s Telescopes Today All of Hale’s telescopes are open for an event tied to Hale’s 150th birthday. observatory also sets aside a number of public visits at present. With the excep- Speakers from Mount Wilson, Palomar, ticketed evenings throughout the year tion of the Hale reflector on Mount and Caltech have been invited to par- for stargazing by individuals. Wilson (still used for research), the ticipate in the free event. In honor of Hale’s 150th birthday, observatories offer opportunities to Mount Wilson Observatory Mount Wilson Observatory has planned stargaze through them, too. (https://is.gd/mtwilson): Grounds a range of celebrations, beginning in Yerkes Observatory (https:// are open daily, weather permitting. May. Events include a photographic is.gd/yerkes): The University of Chi- Two-hour docent-led tours are of- retrospective, a lecture series, a concert cago recently announced plans to close fered on weekends between April 1st series in the 100-inch dome, and week- Yerkes Observatory. In the meantime, and November 30th, with one-hour end open house activities with free scheduled public tours are offered tours added between June and August. nighttime observing (July or August). Monday–Saturday and are the only Private group tours are available with Palomar Observatory (https:// way to see the building interior and advance registration. There’s a nominal is.gd/palomar): Observatory grounds the 40-inch refractor. There’s a nominal charge for the tour. Visitors are free to are open to the public daily, weather charge for the tour. Private group tours take a self-guided tour with download- permitting, except December 24–25 can be arranged on request. Because of able guide. Distances and hilly terrain and during some maintenance opera- its dated architecture, the building isn’t limit access for individuals with health tions. Visitors can tour public areas on handicapped accessible. or mobility concerns. their own or participate in one-hour Public observing with the 40-inch In keeping with Mount Wilson’s guided tours of the Hale Telescope on refractor and 24-inch reflector (used by history of solar astronomy, free solar weekends, spring through fall. There’s George Ritchey to test his design con- viewing is available to the public on a nominal charge for tours, but they’re cepts) is offered monthly at selected weekends. free for youth and student groups. times, weather permitting. The famous 60-inch and 100-inch Some areas — including the Hale Tele- This Memorial Day weekend, Yerkes telescopes can be rented by groups for scope dome — are not accessible to

Observatory will host Starlight 2018, half- or full-night viewing sessions. The mobility-impaired visitors. UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO / YERKES OBSERVATORY