This is a list of the largest optical telescopes in North America.
A list of optical telescopes located in North America by aperture.
Some of the big traditional refractors (telescope with lens) in North America:
Name/Observatory | Location | Lens diameter | Focal length | Built | Comments | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yerkes Observatory [6] | Williams Bay, Wisconsin, USA | 102 cm (40") | 19.4 m (62′) | 1897 | Largest in current operation [7] | |
James Lick telescope Lick Observatory |
Mount Hamilton, California, USA | 91 cm (36") | 17.6 m | 1888 | ||
William Thaw Telescope Allegheny Observatory |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA | 76 cm (30") | 14.1 m | 1914 | Brashear made, photographic [8] | |
Leander McCormick Observatory | Charlottesville, Virginia, USA | 66 cm (26") | 9.9 m | 1884 | completed c. 1874, installed 1884 | |
U.S. Naval Observatory |
Foggy Bottom
Washington, DC,
USA moved to Northwest, Washington, D.C., 1893 |
66 cm (26") | 9.9 m | 1873 | Largest refractor in 1873. Alvan Clark & Sons mounting replaced with Warner & Swasey mounting in 1893. | |
Sproul Observatory | Pennsylvania, USA | 61 cm (24") | 11.0 m (36 ft) | 1911 | Currently under restoration to be re-installed in Northwest Arkansas [9] | |
Lowell Observatory | Arizona, USA | 61 cm (24") | 9.75 m (32 ft) | 1894 | Alvan Clark & Sons telescope |
Optical telescopes only
Name / Observatory |
Image Out |
Image In |
Aperture | First Light |
Nation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hale Telescope Palomar Obs. |
200 inch 508 cm |
1949 | USA | ||
Hooker Telescope Mount Wilson Obs. |
100 inch 254 cm |
1917 | USA | ||
McDonald Obs. 82 inch i.e. Otto Struve Telescope |
82 inch 208 cm |
1939 | USA | ||
David Dunlap Observatory | 74 inch 188 cm |
1935 | Canada | ||
Plaskett telescope Dominion Astrophysical Obs. |
72 inch 182 cm |
1918 | Canada | ||
69-inch Perkins Telescope
[10] Perkins Observatory |
69 inch 175 cm |
1931–1964 | USA | ||
Wyeth 61" reflector
[11] Oak Ridge Observatory |
61 inch 155 cm |
1933–2005 [12] | USA | ||
60 inch Hale Mount Wilson Observatory |
60 inch 152.4 cm |
1908 | USA |
Name/Observatory |
Aperture cm (in) |
Type | Location then (Original Site) | Extant* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Yerkes Observatory [6] | 102 cm (40") | achromat | Williams Bay, Wisconsin, USA | 1897 |
James Lick telescope, Lick Observatory | 91 cm (36") | achromat | Mount Hamilton, California, USA | 1888 |
Crossley Reflector [13] | 91.4 cm(36") | reflector – glass | Lick Observatory, California, USA | 1896 |
Harvard College Observatory | 71 cm (28") | reflector | Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | 1889 [14] |
McCormick Observatory | 67 cm (26.37") | achromat | Charlottesville, Virginia, USA | 1883 |
U.S. Naval Observatory | 66 cm (26") | achromat | Washington, DC, USA | 1873 |
Lowell Observatory | 61 cm (24") | achromat | Arizona, USA | 1896 |
Halstead Observatory | 58.4 cm (23") | achromat | Princeton, USA | 1881 |
Chamberlin Observatory | 50 cm (20") | achromat | Colorado, USA | 1891 |
18½-in Dearborn Observatory Refractor | 47 cm (18.5") | achromat | Chicago (1862–1893), Evanston, Illinois (1893), USA | 1862 |
Flower Observatory | 46 cm (18") | achromat | Philadelphia, USA | 1896 |
Harvard Great Refractor, Harvard College Observatory [15] | 38 cm (15") | achromat | Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | 1847 |
Wellesley College Whitin Observatory 12-inch Fitz Jacob Campbell's 12 inch refractor [16] |
30 cm (12") | achromat | Massachusetts, USA New York, USA |
1900 1852 |
University of Illinois Observatory | 30 cm (12") | achromat | Urbana, Illinois, USA | 1896 |
Merz und Mahler (Mitchell cupola), Cincinnati Observatory | 28 cm (11") | achromat | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | 1843 |
Fraunhofer Refractor, United States Naval Observatory (Foggy Bottom) | 24.4 cm (9.6") | achromat | Foggy Bottom, D.C., USA | 1844 [17] |
Wesleyan University 6-inch Lerebours refractor [18] | 15.24 cm (6") | achromat | Connecticut, USA | 1836 [18] [19] |
Utzschneider & Fraunhofer Comet Seeker [20] | 10.2 cm (4") | acrhomat | Foggy Bottom, D.C., USA | 1843 |
Some of the largest at observatories:
Name/Observatory |
Aperture cm (in) |
Type | Location then (Original Site) | Extant* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Harvard Great Refractor, Harvard College Observatory [15] | 38 cm (15") | achromat | Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | 1847 |
Merz und Mahler (Mitchell cupola), Cincinnati Observatory | 28 cm (11") | achromat | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | 1843 |
West Point Observatory 9.75 inch Fitz equatorial | 24.77 cm (9.75") | achromat | West Point, USA | 1839 [21] |
Fraunhofer Refractor, United States Naval Observatory (Foggy Bottom) | 24.4 cm (9.6") | achromat | Foggy Bottom, D.C., USA | 1844 [17] |
Wesleyan University 6-inch Lerebours refractor [18] | 15.24 cm (6") | achromat | Connecticut, USA | 1836 |
Yale Dollond 5-inch, Yale College Observatory | 12.7 cm (5") | achromat | New Haven, Connecticut, USA | 1828 [21] |
Utzschneider & Fraunhofer Comet Seeker [20] | 10.2 cm (4") | acrhomat | Foggy Bottom, D.C., USA | 1843 |
This is a list of the largest optical telescopes in North America.
A list of optical telescopes located in North America by aperture.
Some of the big traditional refractors (telescope with lens) in North America:
Name/Observatory | Location | Lens diameter | Focal length | Built | Comments | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yerkes Observatory [6] | Williams Bay, Wisconsin, USA | 102 cm (40") | 19.4 m (62′) | 1897 | Largest in current operation [7] | |
James Lick telescope Lick Observatory |
Mount Hamilton, California, USA | 91 cm (36") | 17.6 m | 1888 | ||
William Thaw Telescope Allegheny Observatory |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA | 76 cm (30") | 14.1 m | 1914 | Brashear made, photographic [8] | |
Leander McCormick Observatory | Charlottesville, Virginia, USA | 66 cm (26") | 9.9 m | 1884 | completed c. 1874, installed 1884 | |
U.S. Naval Observatory |
Foggy Bottom
Washington, DC,
USA moved to Northwest, Washington, D.C., 1893 |
66 cm (26") | 9.9 m | 1873 | Largest refractor in 1873. Alvan Clark & Sons mounting replaced with Warner & Swasey mounting in 1893. | |
Sproul Observatory | Pennsylvania, USA | 61 cm (24") | 11.0 m (36 ft) | 1911 | Currently under restoration to be re-installed in Northwest Arkansas [9] | |
Lowell Observatory | Arizona, USA | 61 cm (24") | 9.75 m (32 ft) | 1894 | Alvan Clark & Sons telescope |
Optical telescopes only
Name / Observatory |
Image Out |
Image In |
Aperture | First Light |
Nation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hale Telescope Palomar Obs. |
200 inch 508 cm |
1949 | USA | ||
Hooker Telescope Mount Wilson Obs. |
100 inch 254 cm |
1917 | USA | ||
McDonald Obs. 82 inch i.e. Otto Struve Telescope |
82 inch 208 cm |
1939 | USA | ||
David Dunlap Observatory | 74 inch 188 cm |
1935 | Canada | ||
Plaskett telescope Dominion Astrophysical Obs. |
72 inch 182 cm |
1918 | Canada | ||
69-inch Perkins Telescope
[10] Perkins Observatory |
69 inch 175 cm |
1931–1964 | USA | ||
Wyeth 61" reflector
[11] Oak Ridge Observatory |
61 inch 155 cm |
1933–2005 [12] | USA | ||
60 inch Hale Mount Wilson Observatory |
60 inch 152.4 cm |
1908 | USA |
Name/Observatory |
Aperture cm (in) |
Type | Location then (Original Site) | Extant* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Yerkes Observatory [6] | 102 cm (40") | achromat | Williams Bay, Wisconsin, USA | 1897 |
James Lick telescope, Lick Observatory | 91 cm (36") | achromat | Mount Hamilton, California, USA | 1888 |
Crossley Reflector [13] | 91.4 cm(36") | reflector – glass | Lick Observatory, California, USA | 1896 |
Harvard College Observatory | 71 cm (28") | reflector | Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | 1889 [14] |
McCormick Observatory | 67 cm (26.37") | achromat | Charlottesville, Virginia, USA | 1883 |
U.S. Naval Observatory | 66 cm (26") | achromat | Washington, DC, USA | 1873 |
Lowell Observatory | 61 cm (24") | achromat | Arizona, USA | 1896 |
Halstead Observatory | 58.4 cm (23") | achromat | Princeton, USA | 1881 |
Chamberlin Observatory | 50 cm (20") | achromat | Colorado, USA | 1891 |
18½-in Dearborn Observatory Refractor | 47 cm (18.5") | achromat | Chicago (1862–1893), Evanston, Illinois (1893), USA | 1862 |
Flower Observatory | 46 cm (18") | achromat | Philadelphia, USA | 1896 |
Harvard Great Refractor, Harvard College Observatory [15] | 38 cm (15") | achromat | Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | 1847 |
Wellesley College Whitin Observatory 12-inch Fitz Jacob Campbell's 12 inch refractor [16] |
30 cm (12") | achromat | Massachusetts, USA New York, USA |
1900 1852 |
University of Illinois Observatory | 30 cm (12") | achromat | Urbana, Illinois, USA | 1896 |
Merz und Mahler (Mitchell cupola), Cincinnati Observatory | 28 cm (11") | achromat | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | 1843 |
Fraunhofer Refractor, United States Naval Observatory (Foggy Bottom) | 24.4 cm (9.6") | achromat | Foggy Bottom, D.C., USA | 1844 [17] |
Wesleyan University 6-inch Lerebours refractor [18] | 15.24 cm (6") | achromat | Connecticut, USA | 1836 [18] [19] |
Utzschneider & Fraunhofer Comet Seeker [20] | 10.2 cm (4") | acrhomat | Foggy Bottom, D.C., USA | 1843 |
Some of the largest at observatories:
Name/Observatory |
Aperture cm (in) |
Type | Location then (Original Site) | Extant* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Harvard Great Refractor, Harvard College Observatory [15] | 38 cm (15") | achromat | Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | 1847 |
Merz und Mahler (Mitchell cupola), Cincinnati Observatory | 28 cm (11") | achromat | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | 1843 |
West Point Observatory 9.75 inch Fitz equatorial | 24.77 cm (9.75") | achromat | West Point, USA | 1839 [21] |
Fraunhofer Refractor, United States Naval Observatory (Foggy Bottom) | 24.4 cm (9.6") | achromat | Foggy Bottom, D.C., USA | 1844 [17] |
Wesleyan University 6-inch Lerebours refractor [18] | 15.24 cm (6") | achromat | Connecticut, USA | 1836 |
Yale Dollond 5-inch, Yale College Observatory | 12.7 cm (5") | achromat | New Haven, Connecticut, USA | 1828 [21] |
Utzschneider & Fraunhofer Comet Seeker [20] | 10.2 cm (4") | acrhomat | Foggy Bottom, D.C., USA | 1843 |