[Click on photo thumbnails to see enlarged views.]
Yerkes Observatory web page: http://astro.uchicago.edu/yerkes/
A November trip to Chicago brought an opportunity to drop in on our fellow eclipse-chasers Greg and Vicki Buchwald. Since Yerkes Observatory is just a few hours away from Chicago (just over the border in Wisconsin) and Greg is a volunteer at the observatory, it took a minimal amount of arm twisting to arrange a visit to the great refractor.
The opportunity to shoot some panoramic 360° shots, including some in seldom-seen corners was fantastic, but I was saddened to see that the observatory is suffering from neglect and lack of funds. It has been nearly a century since it was at the cutting edge of astronomy, but as one the world's historically important observatories, it deserves preservation...
360° Interactive panoramic views:
- Observatory Facility Entry
- 40" Refractor from floor - view from NE side
- 40" Refractor from floor - view from NE side
- 40" Refractor from floor - view from E side
- 40" Refractor from floor - view from E side
- 40" Refractor from floor - view from NE side, near control panel
- 40" Refractor from dome catwalk - view from SW side
- Pier Interior
- Observatory Basement (under moveable floor)
