Circa 1916: Allegheny Observatory in Riverview Park, completed in 1912, is marking its 100th year of exploring the night sky over Pittsburgh. The building’s cornerstone was laid in 1900, but funding shortfalls kept the observatory from opening for more than a decade. In this photo from the early 20th century, likely about 1916, shows its three domes. The research telescope (the dome on the left), the 30-inch Thaw Memorial Refractor, was designed and built by the Brashear Optical company in 1912. It is 47 feet long and has a mass of about 8000 pounds.
(Pittsburgh Press photo)