Yerkes Observatory

Yerkes Observatory, observatory of the University of Chicago. It was set up in 1892 on the shores of Lake Geneva, Wis., by the astronomer George Hale and financed by Charles Yerkes. The observatory contains the world's largest refracting telescope (built 1897), its lens 40 in (102 cm) in diameter, together with several reflecting telescopes.

See also: Astronomy; Hale, George Ellery.