In science, some big risks are worth the rewards

At the end of my previous Editor’s Note (SN: 11/11/17, p. 2), I wrote about one of the great discoveries of the 1920s. By studying distant nebulae, Edwin Hubble found that our galaxy is not alone in the universe. Instead, it is one of an amazing multitude of “island universes.” When I wrote those words, I had no idea that just a couple of weeks later, I would get to visit the impressive instrument that made Hubble’s discovery possible.

On the evening of November 1, I joined many dozens of other astronomy enthusiasts to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 100-inch Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory, about an hour drive from