High above the Bay Area, Lick Observatory’s 36-inch Great Refractor is now hunkering down under a fresh temporary shield as another round of winter storms marches in, just over a month after a violent Christmas windstorm ripped open part of its dome. Staff and contractors have thrown a protective cover over the dome slit to keep rain from pouring in while they shore up the building. The telescope itself avoided a direct impact, but lingering moisture and fierce winds left its finely tuned lenses and electrical systems exposed to potential damage. For now, the visitor center is closed, access is tightly limited, and engineers are sketching out long-term repair plans.
Christmas Chaos And Immediate Risks
In the early hours of Dec. 25, 2025, powerful…..