List of largest optical telescopes in the 20th century
The 60 inch telescope, first light in 1908
The following is a list of the largest optical telescopes in the 20th century , paying special attention to the diameter of the mirror or lens of the telescope's objective , or aperture . Aperture rank currently goes approximately by the usable physical aperture size and not by aperture synthesis , although interferometers attained some of the highest angular resolutions at visible and infrared wavelengths compared to traditional telescopes. Diverging methods of construction and use for reflecting telescopes in that area make comparing synthesized aperture irregular.
For instance, Keck I or II alone has less angular resolution than the Keck Interferometer (Keck I & II together), however, the Keck Interferometer is used for a much narrower range of type of observations. Ultimately, a valid comparison between two telescopes must take into consideration more specifications, when a general measurement becomes obtuse.
Aperture of the primary mirror alone can be poor measure of a reflective telescope's significance; for example, the Hubble Space Telescope has only a 2.4 metres (94 in) primary mirror. In addition, many large or significant telescopes are not optical and/or reflecting. However, many famous optical telescopes have had large apertures on their primary mirror with corresponding good angular resolution .
The list Includes optical observatories, including UV, visible and some optical infrared telescopes, and near infrared . The list covers from about 1901 to 2001, with some flexibility to accommodate ambiguity in classification, for example some 2002 telescopes, if it was nearly operation in 2001. 19th century and earlier telescopes that ceased operation are not included, but the list is not complete.
Table of optical telescopes
Multiple mirror telescopes are ranked by their equivalent optical area, not peak interferometric aperture unless it is not relevant for the design. See also List of astronomical interferometers at visible and infrared wavelengths .
See also List of largest optical refracting telescopes , as this list does yet not include such large refractors as the Yerkes Observatory .
Name/Observatory
Aperture m
Aper. in
Mirror type
Nationality of Sponsors
Site and/or Observatory
FL or Built
Image
Keck 1
10 m
394″
Segmented ,36
United States
Mauna Kea Observatory , Hawaii
1993
Keck 2
10 m
394″
Segmented ,36
United States
Mauna Kea Observatory , Hawaii
1996
Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET)
9.2 m
362″
Segmented ,91
United States, Germany
McDonald Observatory , Texas
1997
Subaru (JNLT)
8.2 m
323″
Single
Japan
Mauna Kea Observatory , Hawaii
1999
VLT 1 (Antu)
8.2 m
323″
Single
ESO Countries + Chile
Paranal Observatory , Chile
1998
VLT 2 (Kueyen)
8.2 m
323″
Single
ESO Countries + Chile
Paranal Observatory , Chile
1999
VLT 3 (Melipal)
8.2 m
323″
Single
ESO Countries + Chile
Paranal Observatory , Chile
2000*
VLT 4 (Yepun)
8.2 m
323″
Single
ESO Countries + Chile
Paranal Observatory , Chile
2001*
Gemini North (Gillett)
8.1 m
318″
Single
United States, Canada, Chile , Australia, Argentina , Brazil
Mauna Kea Obs. , Hawaii
1999
Gemini South
8.1 m
318″
Single
United States, Canada, Chile , Australia, Argentina , Brazil
Cerro Pachón , Chile
2001
MMT
6.5 m
256″
Single
United States
F. L. Whipple Obs. , Arizona
2000
Magellan 1 (Walter Baade)[1]
6.5 m
256″
Honeycomb
United States
Las Campanas Obs. , Chile
2000
Magellan 2 (Landon Clay)
6.5 m
256″
Honeycomb
United States
Las Campanas Obs. , Chile
2002*
BTA-6
6 m
238″
Single
USSR + Russia
Zelenchukskaya , Caucasus
1976
Hale Telescope (200 inch)
5.08 m
200″
Single
United States
Palomar Observatory , California
1948
MMT (original) (6 x 1.8 m) optics replaced
4.7 m (6 x 1.8 m)
186″
6 mirrors
United States
F. L. Whipple Obs. , Arizona
1979–1998
William Herschel Telescope
4.2 m
165″
Single
UK , Netherlands , Spain
ORM , Canary Islands
1987
SOAR
4.1 m
161″
Single
United States, Brazil
Cerro Pachón , Chile
2002*
Nicholas U. Mayall 4m [2]
4 m
158″
Single
USA
Kitt Peak National Obs. ; Arizona
1973
Victor M. Blanco Telescope
4 m
158″
Single
USA
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Obs. , Chile
1976
Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT)
3.89 m
154″
Single
United Kingdom + Australia
Anglo-Australian Obs. ; Siding Spring, Australia
1975
United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT)
3.8 m
150″
Single IR
United Kingdom
Mauna Kea Observatories ; Mauna Kea, Hawaii
1978
3.67m AEOS Telescope (AEOS)
3.67 m
145″
Single
United States
Air Force Maui Optical Station ; Haleakala, Hawaii
1996
Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG)
3.58 m
138″
Single
Italy
ORM ; La Palma , Canary Islands
1997
New Technology Telescope (NTT)
3.58 m
142″
Single
ESO countries
European Southern Observatory ; Cerro La Silla, Chile
1989
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT)
3.58 m
141″
Single
Canada, France, United States
Mauna Kea Observatories , USA
1979
ESO 3.6 m Telescope
3.57 m
140″
Single
ESO countries
European Southern Observatory ; Cerro La Silla, Chile
1977
MPI-CAHA 3.5m[3]
3.5 m
138″
Single
West Germany +Spain
Calar Alto Obs. , Spain
1984
USAF Starfire 3.5m [4]
3.5 m
138″
Single
USA
Starfire Optical Range ; New Mexico
1994
WIYN Telescope
3.5 m
138″
Single
USA
Kitt Peak National Obs. , USA
1994
Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC)
3.48 m
137″
Single
USA
Apache Point Obs. ; Sacramento Peak, New Mexico
1994
Shane Telescope
3.05 m
120″
Single
United States
Lick Observatory ; Mt. Hamilton, California
1959
Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF)
3 m
118″
Single IR
United States
Mauna Kea, Hawaii
1979
NASA-LMT (NODO)[5] retired
3 m
118″
Liquid
USA
Sacramento Peak , New Mexico, USA
1995–2002
Harlan J. Smith Telescope
2.72 m
107″
Single
USA
McDonald Observatory , Texas, USA
1969-
UBC-Laval LMT
2.65 m
104″
Liquid
Canada
Vancouver, Canada
1992–
Shajn 2.6m (Crimean 102 in)[6]
2.64 m
103″
Single
Crimean Astrophysical Obs. , Ukraine
1961
BAO 2.6
2.6 m
102″
Single
Byurakan Astrophysical Obs. ; Mt. Aragatz, Armenia
1976
Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT)
2.56 m
101″
Single
Denmark, Sweden, Iceland , Norway, Finland
La Palma, Canary Islands
1988
Isaac Newton Telescope (INT)
2.54 m
100″
Zerodur
UK
La Palma, Canary Islands moved/new mirror
1984
du Pont
2.54 m
100″
Single
USA
Las Campanas Observatory , Chile
1976
Hooker 100-Inch Telescope
2.54 m
100″
Single
United States
Mt. Wilson Observatory ; California
1917
Sloan DSS
2.5 m
98″
Single
United States
Sacramento Peak, New Mexico
1997
Isaac Newton Telescope (INT)
2.54 m
98″
Single
UK
RGO , Sussex, England (original)
1965–1979
Hiltner Telescope [7]
2.4 m
95″
Single
United States
MDM Observatory , Kitt Peak , Arizona
1986
Hubble (HST)
2.4 m
94″
Single
NASA +ESA
Low Earth orbit
1990
Vainu Bappu[8]
2.34 m
92″
Single
Vainu Bappu Observatory , India
1986
WIRO 2.3
2.3 m
90.5″
Single
USA
Wyoming, USA
1977
ANU 2.3m ATT [9]
2.3 m
90″
Single
Australia
Siding Spring Obs. , Australia
1984
Bok Telescope (90-inch)
2.3 m
90″
Single
USA
Steward Obs. , Kitt Peak , Arizona
1969
University of Hawaii 2.2 m [10]
2.24 m
88″
Single
USA
Mauna Kea Observatories , Hawaii
1970[10]
MPIA-ESO (ESO-MPI)
2.2 m
87″
Single
West Germany
Cerro La Silla, Chile
1984[11]
MPIA-CAHA 2.2m[11] [12]
2.2 m
87″
Single
West Germany
Calar Alto Observatory , Spain
1979
Xinglong 2.16m[13]
2.16 m
85″
Single
PRC (China)
Xinglong , China
1989
Jorge Sahade 2.15m[14]
2.15 m
84″
Single
Leoncito Astronomical Complex , Argentina
1987
INAOE 2.12 (OAGH)[15]
2.12 m
83″
Single
Mexico, USA
Guillermo Haro Observatory ; Sonora
1987
UNAM 2.12
2.12 m
83"
Single
NAO ; San Pedro, Mexico
1979
Kitt Peak 2.1-meter
2.1 m
83″
Single
USA
Kitt Peak (KNPO) , USA
1964
Otto Struve Telescope
2.1 m
82
Single
USA
McDonald Observatory , USA
1939
Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT)[16]
2.01 m
79″
Single
India
Indian Astronomical Obs. , Hanle (4500 m)
2000
Alfred Jensch Teleskop
2 m
79″
Single
Karl Schwarzschild Observatory
1960
Carl Zeiss Jena
2 m
79″
Single
Shamakhi Astrophysical Obs. , Azerbaijan
1966
Ondřejov 2-m [1]
2 m
79″
Single
Czechoslovakia
Ondřejov Observatory , Czechia
1967
Ritchey-Chretien-Coude (RCC)[17]
2 m
79″
Single
Rozhen Observatory , Bulgaria
1984
Carl Zeiss Jena
2 m
79″
Single
Main Ukraine Obs.
Bernard Lyot Telescope
2 m
79″
Single
France
Pic du Midi Obs. , France
1980
Faulkes Telescope South
2 m
79″
Single
UK
Siding Spring Obs. , Australia
2001
MAGNUM [18]
2 m
79″
Single IR
Japan
Haleakala Obs. , USA
2001
OHP 1.93
1.93 m
76″
Single
France
Haute-Provence Observatory , France
1958
74 inch Radcliffe Telescope (1.9 m) [19]
1.88 m
74″
Single
South African Astronomical Obs. , Sutherland, 1974–Present Radcliffe Obs.,1948– 1974[19]
1950
188 cm telescope[20]
1.88 m
74″
Single
Japan
Okayama Astrophysical Observatory , Japan
1960
DDO 1.88 m
1.88 m
74″
Single
Canada
David Dunlap Observatory , Ontario
1935
74" reflector[21]
1.88 m
74″
Single
Australia
Mount Stromlo Observatory , Australia
1955–2003
Kottamia telescope 1.88 m[22] [23]
1.88 m
74″
Single
Egypt
Egypt
1960
Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT)
1.83 m
72″
Single
Vatican City
Mt. Graham International Obs. , Arizona
1993[24]
72-Inch Perkins Telescope
1.83 m
72″
Single
USA
Lowell Observatory , Anderson Mesa USA
1964
Plaskett telescope[25]
1.83 m
72″
Single
Canada
Dominion Astrophysical Observatory , Canada
1918
Copernico 182 cm[26]
1.82 m
72″
Single
Italy
Asiago Observatory , Italy (1350 m)
1973
1.8m Ritchey Cretien reflector[27]
1.8 m
72″
Single
Korea
Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory , Korea
1996
Sandy Cross Telescope[28]
1.8 m
71″
Single
Canada
Rothney Astrophysical Observatory
1996
Spacewatch 1.8-meter Telescope[29]
1.8 m
71″
Single
USA
Kitt Peak National Observatory , USA
2001
69-inch Perkins Telescope[30]
1.75 m
69″
Single
USA
Perkins Observatory , Ohio
1931–1964
165 cm telescope
1.65 m
65″
Single
Moletai Astronomical Obs. , Lithuania
1991
McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope
1.61 m
63″
Single
USA
Kitt Peak National Obs. , USA
1962
AZT-33[31]
1.6 m
63″
Single
Sayan Solar Obs. , Siberia (2000m)
1981
1.6 m Perkin Elmer[32]
1.6 m
63″
Single
Brazil
Pico dos Dias Observatory
1981
1.6
1.6 m
63″
R/C
Canada
Mont Mégantic Observatory , Canada
1978
Kaj Strand Telescope [33]
1.55 m
61″
Single
USA
USN Obs. Flagstaff Station , USA
1964
61" Kuiper Telescope
1.55 m
61″
Single
USA
Steward Obs. , Mt. Bigelow , USA
1965[34]
Oak Ridge Observatory 61" reflector[35] (Wyeth)
1.55 m
61″
Single
USA
Oak Ridge Observatory , Massachusetts , USA
1933-2005[36]
Estación Astrofísica de Bosque Alegre[37]
1.54 m
60.6″
Single
Argentina
Estación Astrofísica de Bosque Alegre , Argentina
1942
Danish 1.54 meter telescope[38]
1.54 m
60.6″
Single
Denmark
La Silla Observatory , Chile
1979
Harvard 60-inch Reflector[39]
1.524 m
60″
Single
United States
Harvard College Observatory , USA
1905–1931
60-Inch Telescope
1.524 m
60″
Single
United States
Mt. Wilson Observatory ; California
1908
Dunn Solar Telescope ex-VTT
1.524 m
60″
Single
USA
National Solar Obs. -Sacramento Peak , USA
1969
Palomar Observatory 60 inch[40]
1.524 m
60″
Single
USA
Palomar Observatory , California, USA
1970
FLWO 1.5m Tillinghast[41]
1.52 m
60″
Single
United States
F. L. Whipple Obs. , Arizona
1994
Telescopio Carlos Sánchez (TCS)
1.52 m
60″
Single
UK + Spain
Teide Observatory , Tenerife (Spain)
1971
OHP 1.52
1.52 m
60″
Single
France
Haute-Provence Obs. , France
1967
Mt. Lemmon 60" Telescope[42]
1.52 m
60″
Single
USA
Steward Observatory , Mount Lemmon , USA
1970
OAN 1.52 m[43]
1.52 m
60″
Single
Spain
Calar Alto Observatory , Spain
1970s
152 cm G.D. Cassini[44]
1.52 m
60″
Single
Italy
Mount Orzale , Italy
1976
TIRGO (Gornergrat Infrared Telescope )[45]
1.50 m
59″
Single IR
Italy + Switzerland
Hochalpine Forschungsstation Jungfraujoch und Gornergrat, Alps , Switzerland (3150 m)
1979–2005
AZT-22[46]
1.5 m
59″
Single
USSR, Uzbekistan
Mount Maidanak , Uzbekistan
1972
AZT-20[47]
1.5 m
59″
Single
Assy-Turgen Observatory , Kazakhstan [48]
AZT-12[49]
1.5 m
59″
Single
USSR, Estonia
Tartu Observatory , Estonia
1976
RTT-150[50]
1.5 m
59″
Single
Russia, Turkey
TÜBİTAK National Observatory , Turkey
2001
OSN 1.5m (Nasmyth)[51]
1.5 m
59″
Single
Spain
Sierra Nevada Obs. , Spain (2896 m)
1991
BST-1M[52]
1.5 m
59″
Single IR
USSR
Salyut 6 , Earth Orbit
1977–1982
USNOFS 1.3m[53]
1.3 m
51″
Single
USA
USN Obs. Flagstaff Station , USA
1998
Warsaw Telescope[54]
1.3 m
51″
Single
Poland
Las Campanas Obs. , Chile
1996
Skinakas 1.3m Telescope[55]
1.3m
51''
Single
Greece
Skinakas Obs. , Greece
1995
McGraw-Hill Telescope[56] [57]
1.27 m
50″
Single
USA
MDM Observatory , Arizona (1975–Present) Stinchfield Woods, Michigan (1969–1975)
1969
Great Melbourne Telescope [58] (refit)
127 cm
50″
Single
Australia
Mount Stromlo Observatory , Australia
1961–1973[59] 1992–2003[60]
AZT-11[61]
1.25 m
49″
Single
Abastumani Obs. , Georgia (country)
1976
AZT-11[62]
1.25 m
49″
Single
Crimean Astrophysical Obs. , Ukraine
1981
MPIA 1.2[63]
1.23 m
48.4″
Single
West Germany + Spain
Calar Alto Obs. , Spain
1975
Babelsberg Zeiss[64]
1.25 m
49″
Single
Germany, USSR
Babelsberg Observatory ; Berlin, Germany, Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (1952–present)
1924
Galileo 122 cm[65]
1.22 m
48″
Single
Italy
Asiago Observatory , Italy
1942
Samuel Oschin telescope
1.22 m
48″
Schmidt
USA
Palomar Observatory ; California
1948
OHP 1.20
1.2 m
48″
Single
France
Haute-Provence Obs. , France
1943
Paris 48″ Reflector
1.2 m
48″
France
Paris Observatory , France
1871–1943
Great Melbourne Telescope [58]
122 cm
48″
reflector – metal
Australia
Melbourne Observatory , Australia
1878–1944[59]
Oskar-Lühning Telescope [66]
1.2 m
47″
Single
Germany
Hamburg Observatory , Germany
1975
Leonhard Euler Telescope [67]
120 cm
47″
Single
Switzerland
La Silla , Chile
1998
Mercator Telescope
120 cm
47″
Single
Belgium+Switzerland
ORM ; La Palma , Canary Islands
2001[68]
Hamburg Robotic Telescope (HRT)[69]
120 cm
47″
Single
Germany
Hamburg-Bergdorf Obs. , Germany
2002*
Hänssgen's reflector[70]
107 cm
42″
Single
Germany
Mobile (~Germany)
2002*
Omicron@C2PU
104 cm
41"
Single
France
Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur – Calern site, France, IAU code: 010
2013
Epsilon@C2PU
104 cm
41"
Single
France
Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur – Calern site, France, IAU code: 010
2015
Grubb Parsons 40-inch
102 cm
40″
Single
Sweden
Stockholm Observatory in Saltsjöbaden
1930–present
Nickel Telescope
102 cm
40″
Single
USA
Lick Observatory , USA
1979
Grubb 40-inch
102 cm
40"
Single
USSR
Crimean Astrophysical Observatory Simeiz (destroyed in WWII)
1925–1944
George Ritchey 40-inch (1 m)[71]
102 cm
40″
R/C
USA
Flagstaff , Arizona (Washington, D.C. until 1955), USA
1934
Yerkes "41-inch" [72]
102 cm
40″
Single
USA
Yerkes Observatory , USA
1968[73]
Meudon Observatory 1m[74]
100 cm
39.4″
Single
France
Meudon Observatory/ Paris Observatory
1891[75]
ZIMLAT[76]
100 cm
39.4″
Single
Switzerland
Zimmerwald Obs. , Switzerland
1997
OGS Telescope [77]
100 cm
39.4″
Single
European Space Agency countries
Teide Observatory , Tenerife , Spain
1995
Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope
100 cm
39.4″
Single
UK + Netherlands
Isaac Newton Group , Canary Islands
1984
Lulin One-meter Telescope (LOT)[78]
100 cm
39.4″
Single
ROC (Taiwan)
Lulin Observatory , Taiwan
2002*
Zeiss di Merate (1m reflector)
100 cm
39.4″
Single
Kingdom of Italy
Merate Obs. , Merate , Italy
1926
Zeiss 1m reflector
100 cm
39.4″
Single
Belgium
Royal Obs. , Uccle , Belgium
1920s
Hamburg Spiegelteleskop (1m reflector)[79] [80]
100 cm
39.4″
Single
Deutsches Reich (Germany)
Hamburg-Bergdorf Obs. , Germany
1911
1-m Carl Zeiss Jena
100 cm
39.4″
Single
CCCP
Assy-Turgen Observatory , Kazakhstan [48]
James Gregory Telescope
94 cm
37"
SCT
Great Britain
University of St Andrews , UK
1962
Schmidt 92/67 cm[81]
92 cm
36″
Schmidt
Italy
Cima Ekar Observatory , Asiago, Italy (1360 m)
1966
Kuiper Airborne Obs. (KAO)
91.4 cm
36″
Single
USA
C-141 (mobile)
1974–1995
Stratoscope 2
91.4 cm
36″
Single
USA
Balloon (mobile)
1961–1973
Crossley Reflector [82]
91.4 cm
36″
Single
US+UK
Lick Observatory , USA
1896[83]
36-inch Yapp reflector
91.44 cm
36″
Reflector
UK
Greenwich & Herstmonceux
1932[84]
This table does not include all the 20th largest mirrors manufactured; the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab produced the 6.5-metre f/1.25 collimator used in the Large Optical Test and Integration Site of Lockheed Martin , used for vacuum optical testing of other telescopes.
Segmented are also known as Mosaic mirrors. Single mirrors, also called monolithic and can be sub-categorized in types, such as solid or honeycomb.
Selected telescopes with apertures of 90 cm (35.4 in.) and smaller
Some famous 20th century regionally famous telescopes, space telescopes, or otherwise significant. (100 cm = 1 meter)
Name
Aperture m
Aper. in
Mirror/type
Nationality/Sponsors
Site
Built/Used
Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope
90 cm
35.4"
Single UV
USA
STS , Earth Orbit
1990, 1995
Meudon Great Refractor
83 cm
32.67"
refractor (visual)
France
Meudon, France
1891
83-cm Reflector, Toulouse Observatory
83 cm
32.67"
reflector-glass
France
Toulouse, France
1875[85] [86]
Focault 80 cm, Marseille Observatory [87]
80 cm
31.5"
reflector-glass
Focault
Marseille, France
1862–1965[88]
Astron [89]
80 cm
31.5"
Single UV
CCCP + France
Earth orbit
1983–1989[89]
Potsdam Great Refractor (double refractor)
80 cm
31.5"
Doublet
Germany
Potsdam, Germany
1899
Ruisinger[90]
76.2 cm
30"
Single-Newtonian
United States (ASKC)
Louisburg , Kansas – Powell Obs.
1985
Greenwich 28 inch refractor Royal Observatory, Greenwich
71 cm
28"
Doublet
British Empire
Greenwich , EnglandHerstmonceux , England, UK
1893
Meudon Great Refractor
62 cm
refractor (photographic-blue)
France
Meudon, France
1891
Infrared Space Observatory
60 cm
23.5"
IR (2.4-240 μm )
European Space Agency
Earth orbit (GEO )
1995–1998
IRAS [91]
57 cm
22.44"
R/C IR
US + UK + The Netherlands
Earth orbit
1983
Mons Telescope
50 cm
19.7"
Single
Belgium
Teide Observatory , Tenerife (Spain)
1972
Dutch Open Telescope (DOT)
45 cm
17.7"
Solar
Denmark
ORM , Canary Islands
1997
Explorer 57 (IUE)
45 cm
17.7"
Single UV
US+UK+ESA Countries
Earth orbit (GEO )
1978–1996
Glazar UV telescope[92]
40 cm
15.75"
Single UV
CCCP
Kvant-1 (Mir ), Earth Orbit
1987–2001
Glazar 2 UV telescope[93]
40 cm
15.75"
Single UV
CCCP + Switzerland
Kristall (Mir ), Earth Orbit
1990–2001
Mars Global Surveyor —MOC[94]
35 cm
13.8"
R/C
USA
Mars Orbit
1996–2006
Griffith Observatory 12-inch Zeiss refractor[95]
30.5 cm
12"
Achromat
USA
L.A., USA
1931
XMM-Newton —UV camera
30 cm
11.9"
Single UV
ESA Countries
Earth orbit
1998
TRACE
30 cm
11.9"
Single EUV/UV/Vis
NASA
Earth orbit
1998–2010
Hipparcos
29 cm
11.4"
Schmidt
European Space Agency
Earth orbit (GTO )
1989–1993
Astronomical Netherlands Satellite
22 cm
8.7"
Single UV
Nederlands & USA
Earth Orbit
1974–1976
Galileo – Solid State Imager[96]
17.65 cm
6.95"
Reflector
USA
Jupiter
1989–2003
Voyager 1 /2 , ISS-NAC[97]
17.6 cm
6.92"
Catadioptric
USA
Space
1977
Spacelab IRT[98]
15.2 cm
6"
IR (1.7–118 μm)
ESA + NASA
STS , Earth Orbit
1985
Mariner 10 – TV Photo. (x2)[99]
15 cm
5.9"
Reflector
USA
Space
1973–1975
Deep Space 1 —MICAS[100]
10 cm
3.94"
Single
USA
Solar Orbit
1998–2001
Far Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrograph [101] [102]
7.62 cm
3"
Schmidt UV
USA
Lunar surface
1972
Voyager 1 /2 , ISS-WAC[97]
6 cm
2.36"
Lens
USA
Space
1977
At the end of the 20th century preliminary designs for Extremely large telescope of the 21st century were being worked on, as well as many smaller telescopes such as the Large Binocular Telescope
Under Construction
Examples of telescopes that were started in the 20th century, but may only have achieved a preliminary level of construction by the turn of the century.
Refractors
See also
References
Bell, R.M. and Robins, G.C. and Eugeni, C. and Cuzner, G. and Hutchison, S.B. and Baily, S.H. and Ceurden, B. and Hagen, J. and Kenagy, K. and Martin, H.M. and Tuell, M. and Ward, M. and West, S.C. (July 2008). "LOTIS at completion of Collimator integration". Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series . Vol. 7017. Bibcode :2008SPIE.7017E..0DB . doi :10.1117/12.791889 . {{cite conference }}
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Further reading
List of large reflecting telescopes
The World's Largest Optical Telescopes
"The Astronomical Scrapbook", Joseph Ashbrook, Sky Publishing Corporation 1984, ISBN 0-933346-24-7
"Giant Telescopes of the World", Sky and Telescope, August 2000
"The History of the Telescope", Henry C. King, (1955)
"The Historical Growth of Telescope Aperture", René Racine, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, p. 116
JRASC (1929) vol 23, p. 351
Sky & Telescope (April 1981), p. 303
Sky & Telescope (July 1993) vol 86, pp. 27–32
James H. Burge, 1993 Dissertation at UA, "Advanced Techniques for Measuring Primary Mirrors for Astronomical Telescopes"
External links