The New Heavens

George Ellery Hale

George Ellery Hale was an American astrophysicist best known for his discovery of magnetic fields in sunspots. He was also a key figure in the planning and construction of several world-leading telescopes: the 40-inch refracting telescope at Yerkes Observatory; the 60-inch Hale and 100-inch Hooker reflecting telescopes, both at Mount Wilson Observatory; and the 200-inch Hale reflecting telescope at Palomar Observatory. He played a key role in the foundation of the International Union for Cooperation in Solar Research and the National Research Council, and in developing the California Institute of Technology into a leading research university.