Overview
- Gusts reported up to 114 mph on Christmas tore off a multi‑ton steel door from the Great Refractor dome, with debris crushing beams on the adjoining Great Hall roof.
- Staff wrapped the 19th‑century Great Refractor in tarps and removed artifacts, and they say they are reasonably certain the instrument is intact despite rain exposure risks.
- Santa Clara County red‑tagged the Main Building, public programs are suspended, and officials say operating the Nickel telescope may require a new remote facility on the mountain.
- Crews rejected drilling into the 1880s dome and are pursuing interior‑mounted panels and suspended tarps as noninvasive temporary protections.
- Leaders expect restoration to take months, newer research telescopes remain operational, and the observatory is seeking donations to cover costs not met by insurance.