A new era of discovery has begun at Yerkes Observatory. The Yerkes Future Foundation (YFF), the nonprofit that assumed stewardship of the landmark observatory in 2020, is now the official owner of one of the world’s largest collections of astronomical glass plates: 180,000 fragile time capsules of starlight and scientific data captured between 1900 and 1970.

When YFF assumed ownership of the observatory, equipment, 50 acres of Olmsted-designed grounds, and two historic houses from the University of Chicago, title to the irreplaceable glass plate collection was retained by the University. That changed on June 28 when the legal transfer of the collection was finalized, marking a transformative milestone and a vote of confidence by the University of Chicago in YFF’s ongoing stewardship of Yerkes’ scientific and cultural legacy. With ownership now in hand, the Yerkes science team is ready to more deeply explore the extraordinary potential of this archive for research, education, and public engagement.

“These plates represent a remarkable scientific legacy,” said Dr. Amanda Bauer, Deputy Director and Head of Science and Education at Yerkes Observatory. “They captured photons from stars and galaxies over a hundred years ago; light that can never be collected again. It’s an irreplaceable record of the cosmos.”

For Dr. Bauer, who previously served as Deputy Director of Operations at the state-of-the-art Vera C. Rubin Observatory which began operating this year, the possibilities are thrilling. “Rubin is poised to reveal over the next decade how light from stars, asteroids, and galaxies changes night to night,” she explained. “This historic Yerkes dataset complements modern observations, allowing for long-term variability studies on the timescales of several human generations.”

A dedicated team of volunteers has been diligently responding to research inquiries and laying the groundwork for the digitization of the collection, which is a monumental effort that will take many years. Once complete, both scientists and the general public will have access to this treasure trove of images and spectral data, offering insights and inspiration for generations to come.

To support this ambitious work, Yerkes Observatory will be launching a community science project to transcribe roughly one hundred handwritten logbooks into searchable digital records that map back to the glass plate collection. People from around the world will be invited to help turn these beautiful old notebooks into powerful scientific tools.

While the glass plates are currently in good condition and are housed in an appropriate storage environment, additional improvements are needed to ensure their long-term stability. The Foundation plans to rehouse the collection in improved archival space within the observatory as part of its ongoing Grow Beyond Our Galaxy Campaign. Yerkes has so far raised more than $32 million, with a goal of raising another $74 million by 2033. Fundraising will be ongoing to support the preservation, research, and digitization of these important glass plates.

With the official transfer of this historic collection, Yerkes Observatory is poised to illuminate the past and spark new discoveries far into the future.