George Ellery Hale -- Palomar Observatory, California
Posted by: 
Zaphody3k
N 33° 21.390 W 116° 51.890
11S E 512575 N 3690817
This life-sized bronze bust honors George Ellery Hale. The bust stands at the entrance to the dome containing his brainchild, the 200 inch Hale telescope at Palomar Observatory.
Waymark Code: WMDA57
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 12/12/2011
Views: 3
This bust honors George Hale, one of the great American scientists. He is wearing his academic robes. It stands at the entrance to the 3rd largest largest aperture optical telescope in the world. It was the largest from 1948 until 1976. It is still used for world-class science.
The plaque below the bust reads:
THE TWO HUNDRED INCH TELESCOPE
IS NAMED IN HONOR OF
GEORGE ELLERY HALE
1868 -- 1938
WHOSE VISION AND LEADERSHIP
MADE IT A REALITY
(summarized from Wikipedia)
Hale was born in Chicago, educated at MIT and the Humboldt University of Berlin. He invented the spectroheliograph, which he used to establish the magnetic character of sunspots, and eventually, the polarity shifts during the beginning of a new solar cycle.
Hale was director of the Kenwood Astrophysical Observatory; professor of Astrophysics at Beloit College; professor at the University of Chicago. He was coeditor of Astronomy and Astrophysics and editor of the Astrophysical Journal. He also served on the board of trustees for Science Service, now known as Society for Science & the Public.
Hale worked to found a number of significant astronomical observatories, including Yerkes Observatory, Mount Wilson Observatory, Palomar Observatory, and the Hale Solar Laboratory.
Hale suffered from neurological and psychological problems, claiming to have regular visits from an elf who acted as his advisor.
After retiring as director at Mount Wilson, he built the Hale Solar Laboratory in Pasadena, California, as his office and workshop, pursuing his interest in the sun.
URL of the statue: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.