Top 10 Biggest Telescopes in the World

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Currently, under construction in Chile, the ELT will have a primary mirror with a diameter of 39 meters, making it the largest optical and infrared telescope in the world when completed in 2025.

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Planned to be built on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the TMT will have a primary mirror with a diameter of 30 meters. Construction has been delayed due to protests from native Hawaiians.

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Also under construction in Chile, the GMT will consist of seven 8.4-meter mirrors that will work together to create a single, powerful telescope.

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Located on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, the GTC has a primary mirror with a diameter of 10.4 meters and is the largest single-aperture optical telescope in the world.

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Located in Hawaii, the Keck Observatory is actually composed of two telescopes, each with a primary mirror diameter of 10 meters. The telescopes work together to create a single image.

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Located in South Africa, SALT has a primary mirror with a diameter of 11 meters and is the largest single-aperture optical telescope in the southern hemisphere.

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Located in Hawaii, the Subaru Telescope has a primary mirror with a diameter of 8.2 meters and is one of the largest optical telescopes in the world.

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While not located on Earth, the Hubble Space Telescope has a primary mirror with a diameter of 2.4 meters and has provided stunning images of the universe for over 30 years.

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Located in Chile, the ALMA is actually composed of 66 separate antennas that work together to create a single telescope. It has a total collecting area of over 5,000 square meters.

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Located in Hawaii, the JCMT has a primary mirror with a diameter of 15 meters and is used for astronomical observations in the submillimeter wavelength range.

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Top 10 Biggest Telescopes in the World

Currently, under construction in Chile, the ELT will have a primary mirror with a diameter of 39 meters, making it the largest optical and infrared telescope in the world when completed in 2025.

Extremely Large Telescope (ELT)

Planned to be built on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the TMT will have a primary mirror with a diameter of 30 meters. Construction has been delayed due to protests from native Hawaiians.

Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT)

Also under construction in Chile, the GMT will consist of seven 8.4-meter mirrors that will work together to create a single, powerful telescope.

Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT)

Located on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, the GTC has a primary mirror with a diameter of 10.4 meters and is the largest single-aperture optical telescope in the world.

Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC)

Located in Hawaii, the Keck Observatory is actually composed of two telescopes, each with a primary mirror diameter of 10 meters. The telescopes work together to create a single image.

Keck Observatory

Located in South Africa, SALT has a primary mirror with a diameter of 11 meters and is the largest single-aperture optical telescope in the southern hemisphere.

Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)

Located in Hawaii, the Subaru Telescope has a primary mirror with a diameter of 8.2 meters and is one of the largest optical telescopes in the world.

Subaru Telescope

While not located on Earth, the Hubble Space Telescope has a primary mirror with a diameter of 2.4 meters and has provided stunning images of the universe for over 30 years.

Hubble Space Telescope

Located in Chile, the ALMA is actually composed of 66 separate antennas that work together to create a single telescope. It has a total collecting area of over 5,000 square meters.

Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA)

Located in Hawaii, the JCMT has a primary mirror with a diameter of 15 meters and is used for astronomical observations in the submillimeter wavelength range.

James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT)

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