One of the most distinctive and hallowed buildings in the world closed down this past fall. The original vision behind Yerkes Observatory, to understand the universe, carried it through one full century and well into the next.
Now, this extraordinary building perched high above Lake Geneva in Wisconsin is in need of a new vision and funding that will open the doors once again to its fabulous interior and history. We live in a time when great things that have long been taken for granted reveal themselves to be vulnerable, and Yerkes is yet another entity of extraordinary value and seeming permanence whose future is now in question.
I've taken an interest because this "birthplace of astrophysics" is my birthplace as well. Not that I was born in the observatory--there was fortunately a hospital in the next town over--but while most kids grow up along streets lined with houses, I grew up with a world famous observatory standing just beyond our front yard. Though located in Wisconsin, it was built by the University of Chicago. Through most of 20th century, the university's astronomy faculty was located there, including Nobel Prize winner Chandreseckhar. Among the better known astronomers trained there is Edwin Hubble, for whom the Hubble Space Telescope is named. Carl Sagan was doing his graduate work there when I was preparing to launch into kindergarten. My father was director for awhile and designed a telescope in one of the domes. Most importantly for a kid, he had a set of keys that sometimes I could borrow, to explore the observatory's elaborate interior. Vast indoor spaces have populated my dreams ever since.
This fall I visited just before the observatory closed on October 1.
Yerkes' contribution to the goal of understanding the universe came from or through the eyes it pointed towards the heavens.The big dome still houses the largest refracting telescope in the world, with a lens 40" across. It was the largest telescope of any kind when it was built in 1897. What was impressive for a kid was the train-like wheels that carry the weight of the massive dome as it rotates, the elaborate system of cables that drive dome and floor, and the way my voice and footsteps would echo in that immense, resonant space.
The big dome still houses the world's largest elevator, a circular floor that rises or falls to meet the angle of the telescope. The founder and first director of the observatory was George E. Hale, and his father made a small fortune after developing and selling hydraulic elevators for use in the rebuilding of Chicago after the massive fire in 1871. Coincidence? I don't think so.
The two smaller domes were accessed by narrow spiral staircases. One small dome housed a 40" reflecting telescope,
and the other still has a special telescope my father, W.A. Hiltner, designed and used to study the polarization of light in space. Since the best skies for observing--"photometric", my father would call them--came on the coldest nights, and the domes could not be heated, my father would dress up in insulated underwear and spend the long cold nights collecting data.
A couple times, I ventured to help him, but didn't make it much past 10pm. I remember the mysterious dials, with labels like "declination", "universal time", or "sidereal time." There were red lights to provide just enough illumination for us to navigate, and a needle making squiggles on a scroll of paper, upon which he would write notes to signify which squiggle was which. This was the patient collecting of data--the often boring work that may or may not lead to fascinating insight.
Yerkes is a generous building, its facade packed with ornament and curious figures drawn from mythology.
Gargoyles perch on its sides, apparently having mistaken the edifice for a cathedral.
I call the building generous because it provides a rich visual experience without demanding that anyone take notice. It tells its stories only to those who have time to pause and explore and speculate on the meaning behind the many symbols and colorful characters molded into the walls and pillars of the entryway.
How many astronomers, preoccupied with their theories of the universe, scrutinizing the heavens by night, noticed that they, too, were being watched as they came and went. The observatory has many eyes carved into its facade, checking out the human mortals as they climb the steps seeking knowledge that will last beyond their lifetimes.
That particular steady gaze bears a resemblance to Yerkes himself, whose controversial wealth funded the building. He now sits as a bust in the rotunda, next to one of the building's many clocks.
While the Yerkes historian Richard Dreiser described the building during one of the last tours, I checked out the carvings that likely fed my imagination as a kid, even though I don't remember paying them any mind.
Some of the characters look surprised to find us there in the rotunda,
but the owls look like they've seen it all. Akin to astronomers with their powerful night vision, they show up in varied forms.
This owl serves as centerpiece for a collection of symbols, some of whose meanings have changed significantly since 1897. At the upper left is what for us is a highly disturbing symbol. It looks like a swastika, but is not. A little research shows that the swastika was an ancient symbol of good luck, before the Nazis appropriated it for much different purposes in the 1930s. The symbol at Yerkes, with lines pointed counter clockwise, is a "sauvastica", having nothing to do with the political aberrations of the 20th century. The Star of David design, too, likely had different meaning back in 1897, when it was just beginning to be formally associated with Zionism.
These owls look to be lovebirds.
There's some irony in the fact that a building with so many eyes was directed for many years by an astronomer who lost his sight at the age of 55. Undaunted, he continued as director for another ten years. Some of the story of Edwin Brant Frost, particularly how his love of nature influenced his leadership of the observatory and his reaction to blindness, is told in another post.
Down the marble-lined hallway is what I call "the stairway to the heavens," which astronomers would climb as they headed to the big dome for a night of observing.
The attic seems to belong more to a ship than an observatory,
with its small round windows. There were cots there for astronomers to sleep undisturbed through the day, and in the 1960s, a computer was installed, filling a whole room. I spent some time in there, converting my father's data into punch cards to run through the computer.
The attic also holds some sort of instrument to study the sun, seldom used, apparently.
The observatory made it into a movie or two. For twenty seconds, starting at 1:26 in this trailer for the movie Chain Reaction, you can see an actor running up from my house towards the observatory, along with some chase scenes in the hallways and on this roof.
The reality was a bit less dramatic. Our community of astronomers and staff, clustered in a pastoral setting on the outskirts of little Williams Bay, would gather on the observatory grounds, sometimes to play volleyball or baseball, sometimes for picnics, which in this photo appear to be pretty sedate affairs. Maybe they were, with ice tea and sandwiches, those aluminum folding chairs and a croquet game set up nearby. The Chain Reaction movie would be much more realistic if it had had the actors running through one of our picnics, upsetting tables, tripping over croquet hoops.
More breathtaking than the picnics was the view from the catwalk of the big dome. Here's a picture of my father with George Van Biesbroeck, gazing out across the lawns and forest, some 75 acres of which remain a part of the observatory and will hopefully be preserved. Lake Geneva, a popular vacation destination for Chicagoans, is in the distance.
That was back when the observatory's value to the world was beyond question. Fast forward to the present, when a few valiant, dedicated individuals are working to give Yerkes a new mission for a new century. The University is in negotiation with the Yerkes Future Foundation, a nonprofit organized to create a vision, raise funds, and find present meaning in this remarkable piece of astronomical history.
And then there's Katya Gozman, a U of Chicago student who gave me a tour and who loves Yerkes at least as much as I do, and Kate Meredith of GLAS Education (Geneva Lake Astrophysics and STEAM), who leads the education and outreach that, since the building's closing, has relocated offsite.
Their passion and dedication to the observatory's future gives hope that funding will ultimately come forth to match the love.
Mojawapo ya majengo ya kipekee na matakatifu zaidi ulimwenguni ilifungwa vuli iliyopita. Maono ya awali nyuma ya Yerkes Observatory, kuelewa ulimwengu, uliofanywa kwa karne moja kamili na vizuri katika ijayo. Jengo hili la ajabu lililo juu ya Ziwa Geneva, Wisconsin, linahitaji maono mapya na fedha ambazo zitafungua milango tena kwa mambo yake ya ndani na historia. Tunaishi katika wakati ambapo mambo makubwa ambayo kwa muda mrefu yamechukuliwa kwa uhakika yanajidhihirisha kuwa dhaifu, na Yerkes ni kitu kingine cha thamani ya ajabu na kudumu inayoonekana ambayo wakati ujao wake sasa ni swali. Nimependezwa kwa sababu "mahali pa kuzaliwa kwa fizikia ya nyota" hapa ni mahali pangu pa kuzaliwa pia. Si kwamba mimi alizaliwa katika observatory - kuna bahati nzuri hospitali katika mji wa karibu zaidi - lakini wakati watoto wengi kukua kando ya barabara lined na nyumba, mimi alikulia na dunia maarufu observatory kusimama tu zaidi ya bustani yetu ya mbele. Ingawa iko katika Wisconsin, ilijengwa na Chuo Kikuu cha Chicago. Katika karne ya 20, chuo kikuu cha astronomy kilikuwa huko, ikiwa ni pamoja na mshindi wa tuzo ya Nobel Chandrasekhar. Miongoni mwa wataalamu mashuhuri wa nyota waliozoezwa huko ni Edwin Hubble, ambaye Darubini-upeo ya Anga ya Hubble imepewa jina lake. Carl Sagan alikuwa akifanya kazi yake ya kuhitimu huko wakati mimi nilikuwa nikijitayarisha kuanza shule ya chekechea. Baba yangu alikuwa mkurugenzi kwa muda na kubuni darubini katika moja ya domes. Jambo muhimu zaidi kwa mtoto, alikuwa na seti ya funguo ambayo wakati mwingine ningeweza kukopa, kuchunguza mambo ya ndani ya uchunguzi. Tangu wakati huo, nimeota ndoto zangu kuhusu maeneo makubwa ya ndani. Mwaka huu, nilitembelea kituo hicho kabla tu ya kufungwa kwake Oktoba 1. Yerkes alishiriki katika kuunda mfumo wa kutafakari ulimwengu na kuunda darubini kubwa zaidi ya dunia inayoweza kuonekana kwa macho ya binadamu, ambayo ina lensi ya 40′′. Teleskopi hiyo ilikuwa kubwa zaidi duniani wakati ilipoanzishwa mwaka 1897. "Kilele cha kuvutia kwa mtoto ni magurudumu ya treni ambayo hubeba uzito wa dome kubwa wakati inazunguka, mfumo wa kina wa nyaya zinazoendesha dome na sakafu, na jinsi sauti yangu na hatua zitakavyozunguka katika nafasi hiyo kubwa, ya sauti.""" Kwa mfano, kuna lifti kubwa zaidi ulimwenguni, ambayo huinuka au kushuka kulingana na pembe ya darubini. Mwanzilishi na mkurugenzi wa kwanza wa kituo hicho alikuwa George E. Hale, ambaye baba yake alipata utajiri mdogo baada ya kutengeneza na kuuza lifti za maji zilizotumiwa katika ujenzi wa Chicago baada ya moto mkubwa wa 1871. Je, ni bahati mbaya? Sidhani hivyo. Vituo viwili vidogo vilipatikana kupitia ngazi nyembamba zenye umbo la mviringo. Nyumba moja ilikuwa na darubini ndogo ya kutazama angani yenye urefu wa inchi 40 na nyingine ilikuwa na darubini ya pekee ya baba yangu, W.A. Hiltner, iliyoundwa na kutumika kujifunza polarization ya mwanga katika nafasi. "Kwa kuwa anga bora kwa ajili ya uchunguzi - ""photometric,"" baba yangu angeweza kuwaita - alikuja juu ya usiku baridi, na domes hakuweza kuwa joto, baba yangu ingekuwa kuvaa juu katika insulated nguo za ndani na kutumia usiku mrefu baridi kukusanya data." Mara kadhaa nilijaribu kumsaidia lakini sikuweza kufika saa kumi jioni. Nakumbuka vipimo vya siri, vyenye majina kama vile "mageuzi", "wakati wa ulimwengu wote mzima", au "wakati wa angani". Kulikuwa na taa nyekundu ili kutupa mwangaza wa kutosha tu ili tuweze kusafiri, na sindano iliyokuwa ikifanya michoro kwenye kitabu cha karatasi, ambacho angeliandika maelezo ili kuonyesha ni michoro ipi iliyokuwa ni ile. Hii ilikuwa mgonjwa kukusanya data - mara nyingi kazi ya kuchosha ambayo inaweza au haiwezi kusababisha ufahamu kuvutia. Jengo la Yerkes ni kubwa sana, na sehemu yake ya mbele imejaa mapambo na sanamu za ajabu zinazotokana na hekaya. Yaonekana, gargoyles wamekaa kando-kando ya jengo hilo, wakidhani kwamba ni kanisa kuu. Ninaita jengo hilo lenye ukarimu kwa sababu linatoa uzoefu mwingi wa kuona bila kudai mtu yeyote aone. "Hii inaelezea hadithi zake tu kwa wale ambao wana wakati wa kusubiri na kuchunguza na kufikiri juu ya maana ya alama nyingi na wahusika wa rangi zilizochongwa kwenye kuta na nguzo za mlango.""" Ni nyota wangapi waliochukuliwa na nadharia zao za ulimwengu, wakichunguza anga usiku, waligundua kwamba wao pia walikuwa wakitazamwa walipokuwa wakija na kwenda? Macho mengi yamechongwa kwenye uso wake, yakitazama watu wanaopanda ngazi wakitafuta maarifa ambayo yatadumu zaidi ya maisha yao. Maoni hayo ya utulivu yanafanana na ya Yerkes mwenyewe, ambaye utajiri wake wenye utata ulifadhili ujenzi huo. Sasa anaketi kama sanamu ya kiume katika jengo hilo, kando ya mojawapo ya saa nyingi za jengo hilo. Wakati mwanahistoria wa Yerkes Richard Dreiser alielezea jengo hilo wakati wa moja ya ziara za mwisho, nilitazama michongo ambayo labda iliilisha mawazo yangu kama mtoto, ingawa sikumbuki kuwapa umakini wowote. Baadhi ya wahusika wanaonekana kushangaa kutupata huko katika rotunda, lakini vipepeo wanaonekana kama wameona yote. Sawa na wataalamu wa nyota wenye uwezo wao wa kuona usiku, wao huonekana katika namna mbalimbali. Kwa mfano, ndege huyo wa kiume ni mfano wa ishara za kifalme ambazo maana yake imebadilika tangu mwaka 1897. Juu kushoto ni nini kwa ajili yetu ni ishara ya kusumbua sana. Inaonekana kama swastika, lakini si hivyo. Kwa mujibu wa utafiti wa hivi karibuni, swastika ilikuwa ishara ya bahati nzuri kabla ya Nazi kuitumia kwa madhumuni tofauti. "Kama ishara ya Yerkes, na mistari iliyoelekezwa kinyume cha mwelekeo wa saa, ni ""sausage,"" isiyo na uhusiano wowote na makosa ya kisiasa ya karne ya ishirini." "Mfano wa nyota ya Daudi ulionekana kuwa na maana tofauti na ile ya mwaka wa 1897, wakati ambapo nyota hiyo ilikuwa ikihusianishwa rasmi na Usioni.""" Ndege hao wa kiume huonekana kuwa ndege wenye upendo. "Hii ni kwa sababu, kwa mfano, jengo lenye macho mengi liliongozwa na mwanaastronomia aliyepoteza uwezo wake wa kuona akiwa na umri wa miaka 55.""" Bila kuogopa, aliendelea kuwa mkurugenzi kwa miaka mingine kumi. Hadithi ya Edwin Brant Frost, hasa jinsi upendo wake wa asili uliathiri uongozi wake wa kituo cha uchunguzi na athari yake kwa upofu, inaelezwa katika chapisho jingine. "Kutoka kwenye ukumbi uliofunikwa kwa marumaru kuna kile ninachoita "" ngazi ya mbinguni "" ambayo wataalamu wa nyota wangepanda walipokuwa wakielekea kwenye bonde kubwa kwa ajili ya usiku wa kuchunguza." Inaonekana kwamba ghorofa ya juu ni ya meli kuliko ya kituo cha uchunguzi, kwa sababu ina madirisha madogo ya mviringo. Katika chumba hicho kulikuwa na vitanda vya kulala kwa ajili ya wataalamu wa nyota ili waweze kulala bila kusumbuliwa wakati wa mchana, na katika miaka ya 1960, kompyuta iliwekwa, na chumba hicho kilijaa. Nilitumia muda fulani huko, nikigeuza data za baba yangu kuwa kadi za punch ili kuzisoma kwenye kompyuta. Pia kwenye ghorofa ya juu kuna kifaa fulani cha kuchunguza jua, ambacho ni nadra kutumiwa, yaonekana. Kituo hicho cha uchunguzi kilitengeneza filamu moja au mbili. "Kwa sekunde ishirini, kuanzia 1:26 katika trailer hii ya filamu ""Mwenendo wa Mnyororo,"" unaweza kuona mwigizaji akikimbia kutoka nyumba yangu kuelekea kituo cha uchunguzi, pamoja na baadhi ya matukio ya kukimbilia katika vyumba na juu ya paa." Mambo ya kweli hayakuwa mabaya sana. Jamii yetu ya wataalamu wa nyota na wafanyakazi, walikusanyika katika mazingira ya pastoral katika pwani ya kidogo Williams Bay, ingekuwa kukusanyika katika uwanja wa uchunguzi, wakati mwingine kucheza mpira wa wavu au baseball, wakati mwingine kwa ajili ya picnics, ambayo katika picha hii kuonekana kuwa pretty calm mambo. """Hakuna kitu kama chai ya barafu na sandwichi, viti vya alumini vya kukunjwa na mchezo wa croquet uliowekwa karibu." "Kama sinema ya ""Mwenendo wa Mnyororo"" ingekuwa na uhalisi zaidi ikiwa ingekuwa na waigizaji wakikimbia kupitia moja ya picnics zetu, wakibadilisha meza, wakikimbia juu ya vikapu vya croquet." Jambo lenye kuvutia zaidi kuliko matembezi hayo lilikuwa mandhari kutoka kwenye jukwaa kubwa la maonyesho. Picha ya baba yangu na George Van Biebsbroek, wakitazama nje kwenye nyasi na misitu, ambayo ina ekari 75 ambayo bado ni sehemu ya kituo cha uchunguzi na itatumwa kuhifadhiwa. Ziwa Geneva, mahali panapopendwa sana na wakazi wa Chicago, liko mbali. Hilo lilikuwa wakati ambapo thamani ya kituo hicho cha uchunguzi kwa ulimwengu haikushukiwa. Hebu tuendelee na kipindi hiki, wakati watu wachache wenye ujasiri na kujitolea wanafanya kazi ya kumpa Yerkes utume mpya kwa karne mpya. Chuo Kikuu cha Yale kinafanya mazungumzo na Yerkes Future Foundation, shirika lisilo la faida lililoundwa kuunda maono, kukusanya fedha, na kupata maana ya sasa katika kipande hiki cha ajabu cha historia ya nyota. Katya Gozman, mwanafunzi wa Chuo Kikuu cha Chicago, ambaye alinipa ziara na ambaye anapenda Yerkes angalau kama mimi, na Kate Meredith wa elimu ya GLAS (Geneva Lake Astrophysics na STEAM), ambaye anaongoza elimu na ufikiaji ambao, tangu kufungwa kwa jengo hilo, umehamishwa nje ya eneo. "Hata hivyo, shauku na kujitolea kwa siku zijazo za kituo hicho cha uchunguzi kunatoa matumaini kwamba fedha zitafika mwishowe ili kufanana na upendo huo. """