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The Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wis., is known as the birthplace of modern astrophysics. The facility, which opened in 1897 and is home to the largest refracting telescope in the world, is closed.
Courtney Pedroza / Chicago Tribune
The 40-inch refractor telescope towers over people during a tour of Yerkes Observatory on June 30, 2018, in Williams Bay, Wis. The University of Chicago, which owns the observatory and surrounding acres of land along Geneva Lake, has announced it plans to sell the facility, which was built in 1897. Yerkes Observatory
