Fact of the Day
George Ellery Hale was the 20th century's most important builder of
telescopes. In 1897, Hale built a 40 inch wide telescope, the largest
ever built at that time. His second telescope, with a sixty inch lens,
was set up in 1917 and took 14 years to build. During the 14 years
Hale became convinced that he suffered from "Americanitis" a disorder
in which the ambitions of Americans drive them insane. During the
building of his 100 inch lens Hale spent time in a sanatorium and
would only discuss his plans for the telescope with a "sympathetic
green elf".
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