Paul Lynam, a resident astronomer, and Keith Wandry set up the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor telescope at the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, Calif., on April 27, 2024.

Crews at the historic Lick Observatory are racing against the clock after 114 mph winds damaged the historic dome on Christmas Day. Starting on Wednesday, the first of several storms is forecast to arrive in the Bay Area, potentially imperiling the center’s iconic telescope.

The strong winds tore off half the shutter on the 36-inch dome, which has been at the site for 140 years, according to the observatory’s website. The shutter was blown onto the roof of the Great Hall and damaged multiple beams. 

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Officials expect that fixing the dome will be a “long process” and could take months, Matthew Shetone, the observatory’s deputy director, said in a 

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