After 55 years as sentry to the stars, the Peoria Astronomical Societys Northmoor Observatory dome at Donovan Golf Course was relieved of duty early Wednesday morning. More than 100,000 visitors over the past five decades have peered through the dome at the nearest orbit of Mars in 60,000 years, countless meteor showers and the moons of Jupiter, but rust and age took a toll. Members of the Peoria Astronomical Society researched repairing the dome and concluded replacement was a better option.
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