List of Largest Optical Reflecting Telescopes - Table of Reflecting Telescopes

Table of Reflecting Telescopes

This list is ordered by optical aperture, which has historically been a useful gauge of limiting resolution, optical area, physical size, and cost. Multiple mirror telescopes that are on the same mount, may have a working beam combiner, and can form an image are ranked by an equivalent aperture to this reported by sources. HET-style or fixed telescopes are ranked by an equivalent aperture also.

Name Image Effective aperture
m
Aper.
in
Mirror type Nationality / Sponsors Site Built
Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) 11.9 m (8.4 m×2) 330″×2 Multiple mirror, 2 USA, Italy, Germany Mount Graham International Obs., Arizona, USA 2004
Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) 10.4 m 410″ Segmented, 36 Spain (90%), Mexico, USA Roque de los Muchachos Obs., Canary Islands, Spain 2006/9
Keck 1 10 m 400″ Segmented, 36 USA Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA 1993
Keck 2 10 m 400″ Segmented, 36 USA Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA 1996
Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) (11 m × 9.8 m mirror) 9.2 m 362″ Segmented, 91 South Africa, USA, UK, Germany, Poland, New Zealand South African Astronomical Obs., Northern Cape, South Africa 2005
Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) (11 m × 9.8 m mirror) 9.2 m 362″ Segmented, 91 USA, Germany McDonald Observatory, Texas, USA 1997
Subaru (JNLT) 8.2 m 323″ Single Japan Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA 1999
VLT UT1 (Antu) 8.2 m 323″ Single ESO Countries, Chile Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile 1998
VLT UT2 (Kueyen) 8.2 m 323″ Single ESO Countries, Chile Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile 1999
VLT UT3 (Melipal) 8.2 m 323″ Single ESO Countries, Chile Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile 2000
VLT UT4 (Yepun) 8.2 m 323″ Single ESO Countries, Chile Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile 2001
Gemini North (Gillett) 8.1 m 318″ Single USA, UK, Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina, Brazil Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA 1999
Gemini South 8.1 m 318″ Single USA, UK, Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina, Brazil Cerro Pachón (CTIO), Coquimbo Region, Chile 2001
MMT (1 x 6.5 M1) 6.5 m 256″ Single USA F. L. Whipple Obs., Arizona, USA 2000
Magellan 1 (Walter Baade) 6.5 m 256″ Honeycomb USA Las Campanas Obs., Coquimbo Region, Chile 2000
Magellan 2 (Landon Clay) 6.5 m 256″ Honeycomb USA Las Campanas Obs., Coquimbo Region, Chile 2002
BTA-6 6 m 238″ Single USSR/Russia Special Astrophysical Obs., Karachay–Cherkessia, Russia 1975
Large Zenith Telescope (LZT) 6 m 236″ Liquid Canada, France, USA Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada 2003
Hale Telescope (200 inch) 5.08 m 200″ Single USA Palomar Observatory, California, USA 1948
LAMOST (6.67 m × 6.05 m + 5.72 m × 4.40 m corrector; effective aperture 3.6–4.9 m) 4.9 m–3.6 m 193″ Segmented
(37 + 24)
PRC (China) Beijing Astronomical Obs., Xinglong, China 2008
MMT (6×1.8 m) original optics 4.7 m
(6×1.8 m)
186″ Segmented, 6 USA F. L. Whipple Obs., Arizona, USA 1979–1998
Discovery Channel Telescope 4.3 m 169″ Single USA Lowell Observatory, Happy Jack, Arizona 2012
William Herschel Telescope 4.2 m 165″ Single UK, Netherlands, Spain Roque de los Muchachos Obs., Canary Islands, Spain 1987
SOAR 4.1 m 161″ Single USA, Brazil Cerro Pachón (CTIO), Coquimbo Region, Chile 2002
VISTA 4.1 m 161″ Single ESO Countries, Chile Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile 2009
Victor M. Blanco Telescope 4 m 157″ Single USA Cerro Tololo Inter-American Obs., Coquimbo Region, Chile 1976
Nicholas U. Mayall 4m 4 m 149.5″ Single USA Kitt Peak National Obs., Arizona, USA 1973
Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) 3.89 m 154″ Single Australia, UK Australian Astronomical Obs., New South Wales, Australia 1975
3.67m AEOS Telescope (AEOS) 3.67 m 145″ Single USA Air Force Maui Optical Station, Hawaii, USA 1996
Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) 3.58 m 138″ Single Italy Roque de los Muchachos Obs., Canary Islands, Spain 1997
New Technology Telescope (NTT) 3.58 m 142″ Single ESO countries La Silla Observatory, Coquimbo Region, Chile 1989
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) 3.58 m 141″ Single Canada, France, USA Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA 1979
ESO 3.6 m Telescope 3.57 m 140″ Single ESO countries La Silla Observatory, Coquimbo Region, Chile 1977
MPI-CAHA 3.5 m 3.5 m 138″ Single West Germany, Spain Calar Alto Obs., Almería, Spain 1984
USAF Starfire 3.5 m 3.5 m 138″ Single USA Starfire Optical Range, New Mexico, USA 1994
WIYN Telescope 3.5 m 138″ Single USA Kitt Peak National Obs., Arizona, USA 1994
Space Surveillance Telescope 3.5 m 138″ Single USA White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA 2011
Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC) 3.48 m 137″ Single USA Apache Point Obs., New Mexico, USA 1994
Shane Telescope 3.05 m 120″ Single USA Lick Observatory, California, USA 1959
NASA Infrared Telescope Facility 3.0 m 120″ Single USA Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii, USA 1979
NASA-LMT retired 3 m 118″ Liquid USA NASA Orbital Debris Obs., New Mexico, USA 1995–2002
See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list

There are only a few sites capable of polishing the mirrors for these telescopes. SAGEM in France polished the four VLT mirrors, the two Gemini mirrors, and the 36 segments for GTC. The Steward Observatory Mirror Lab cast and polished the two LBT mirrors, the two Magellan mirrors and the MMT replacement mirror. It is currently making the LSST primary mirror and the mirrors for the Giant Magellan Telescope. The Keck segments were made by Schott AG. The SALT and LAMOST segments were cast and polished by LZOS. The mirror for Subaru was cast by Corning and polished at Contraves Brashear Systems in Pennsylvania.

This table does not include all the 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 mirrors are also referred to as mosaic mirrors. Single mirrors are also referred to monolithic mirrors, and can be sub-categorized in types, such as solid or honeycomb.

Read more about this topic:  List Of Largest Optical Reflecting Telescopes

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