George Ellery Hale

Born in Chicago in 1868, George Ellery Hale became one of the most influential figures in modern astronomy. He founded or helped shape a remarkable chain of institutions, including Yerkes Observatory, Mount Wilson Observatory, and the early development of what became Palomar Observatory, and he played an important part in the growth of the California Institute of Technology.

His scientific work focused especially on the Sun. Hale is best remembered for discovering magnetic fields in sunspots, a breakthrough that connected astronomy with the physics of magnetism and helped deepen understanding of solar activity.

Just as important was his gift for building scientific institutions. He had a rare talent for gathering support, attracting researchers, and imagining ever more powerful telescopes, including the great instruments at Mount Wilson. By the time of his death in 1938, he had helped lay the groundwork for much of twentieth-century American astrophysics.