By chance the
new Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Chicago, George
Hale, discovers that two optically perfect disks are available. These
42-inch "blanks" could be ground to create a 40-inch refracting
telescope, the largest in the world. He and the dynamic president
of the university set off to find a donor willing to purchase these
disks; build the telescope; and pay for a "suitable observatory"
to house the World's Largest Telescope. For more in depth history,
visit the links on the left hand side of the page.