Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton is still not open to the public, about two weeks after gusts of wind whipping around at speeds of 114 mph tore off the shutter on one of its domes.
Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton is still not open to the public, about two weeks after gusts of wind whipping around at speeds of 114 mph tore off the shutter on one of its domes.On Sunday, an astronomer gave KTVU a look inside to see the damage atop the mountain that sits in the Diablo Range in Santa Clara County, east of San Jose.
Clear plastic sheeting was draped over wood frames to catch the rain still coming in to the area where the Great Refractor dome sits. That's where the shutter section fell onto the roof of the Great Hall, crushing several structure beams. Astronomer Paul Lynam said that all the plastic is just a temporary fix and that it will take some time to make the fixes permanent. "This is a massive job," he said. On the outside of the building, the half of the shutter that blew off was on the ground about 50 feet away. It weighs five tons."Luckily, there was no damage to the telescope," Lynam said. The main building also got water damage. Crews are still assessing it. The observatory is closed to the public."In the next week or so we advise people not to come up here. There is still a lot of debris up here and on the roads," he said.The observatory houses one of the most famous telescopes in the world. It was ahead of its time when constructed in the late 1800s. Today, it is used to train students in the University of California system. Public events are also held here throughout the year. Fundraising effortsLynam says their insurance will cover part of the damage, and Lick Observatory has set up a donation site if people want to contribute further.Lynam hopes people help out, and then come to see the observatory themselves, when all has been repaired."I still retain fond memories of my telescope experience and being around with my family at the time," he said.
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