Swimming and stargazing at Yerkes centennial

Looking for a change of scenery this summer? A historic observatory on a beautiful lake will be the site of a free, University-wide picnic in August.

Members of the entire University of Chicago community and their families are invited to celebrate the centennial of Yerkes Observatory at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10. The picnic will be held on the observatory grounds in Williams Bay, Wis. (near Lake Geneva), about two hours north of Chicago. Food and beverages will be provided, swimming in the lake is encouraged, and there will be stargazing after dark through the observatory's famed 40-inch refractor (weather permitting).

For directions to the observatory, see the Yerkes web site (http://astro.uchicago.edu/Yerkes.html), which also includes a virtual museum, or call (414) 245-5555.