List of largest optical reflecting telescopes

Table columns:
Name
Image
Effective aperture m
Aper. in
Mirror type
Nationality / Sponsors
Site
Built

Table rows:
cells: Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC)
10.4 m
409″
Segmented, 36
Spain (90%), Mexico, USA
Roque de los Muchachos Obs., Canary Islands, Spain
2006/9
cells: Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) 11 m × 9.8 m mirror
10 m [1]
394″
Segmented, 91
USA, Germany
McDonald Observatory, Texas, USA
1997
cells: Keck 1
10 m
394″
Segmented, 36
USA
Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA
1993
cells: Keck 2
10 m
394″
Segmented, 36
USA
Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA
1996
cells: Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) 11 m × 9.8 m mirror[2]
9.2 m
362″
Segmented, 91
South Africa, USA, UK, Germany, Poland, New Zealand
South African Astronomical Obs., Northern Cape, South Africa
2005
cells: Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) Phased-array optics for combined 11.9 m[3]
8.4 m × 2
330″ × 2
Multiple mirror, 2
USA, Italy, Germany
Mount Graham International Observatory, Arizona, USA
2004
cells: Subaru (JNLT)
8.2 m
323″
Single
Japan
Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA
1999
cells: VLT UT1 – Antu
8.2 m
323″
Single
ESO Countries, Chile
Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile
1998
cells: VLT UT2 – Kueyen
8.2 m
323″
Single
ESO Countries, Chile
Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile
1999
cells: VLT UT3 – Melipal
8.2 m
323″
Single
ESO Countries, Chile
Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile
2000
cells: VLT UT4 – Yepun
8.2 m
323″
Single
ESO Countries, Chile
Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile
2001
cells: Gemini North (Gillett)
8.1 m
318″
Single
USA, UK, Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina, Brazil
Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA
1999
cells: Gemini South
8.1 m
318″
Single
USA, UK, Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina, Brazil
Cerro Pachón (CTIO), Coquimbo Region, Chile
2001
cells: MMT (1 x 6.5 m)
6.5 m
256″
Single
USA
F. L. Whipple Obs., Arizona, USA
2000
cells: Magellan 1 (Walter Baade)[4]
6.5 m
256″
Honeycomb
USA
Las Campanas Obs., Coquimbo Region, Chile
2000
cells: Magellan 2 (Landon Clay)
6.5 m
256″
Honeycomb
USA
Las Campanas Obs., Coquimbo Region, Chile
2002
cells: BTA-6
6 m
238″
Single
USSR/Russia
Special Astrophysical Obs., Karachay–Cherkessia, Russia
1975
cells: Large Zenith Telescope (LZT)
6 m
236″
Liquid
Canada, France, United States [5]
Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
2003
cells: Hale Telescope (200 inch)
5.08 m
200″
Single
USA
Palomar Observatory, California, USA
1948
cells: 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 [6]
193″
Segmented (37 + 24)[7]
PRC (China)
Beijing Astronomical Obs., Xinglong, China
2008
cells: MMT (original optics: 6 × 1.8 m) →see above record for current 6.5 m mirror
4.7 m (6×1.8 m) [8]
186″
Segmented, 6
USA
F. L. Whipple Obs., Arizona, USA
1979–1998
cells: Discovery Channel Telescope[9]
4.3 m
169″
Single
USA
Lowell Observatory, Happy Jack, Arizona, USA
2012
cells: William Herschel Telescope
4.2 m
165″
Single
UK, Netherlands, Spain
Roque de los Muchachos Obs., Canary Islands, Spain
1987
cells: SOAR
4.1 m
161″
Single
USA, Brazil
Cerro Pachón (CTIO), Coquimbo Region, Chile
2002
cells: VISTA
4.1 m
161″
Single
ESO Countries, Chile
Paranal Observatory, Antofagasta Region, Chile
2009
cells: Victor M. Blanco Telescope
4 m
157″
Single
USA
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Obs., Coquimbo Region, Chile
1976
cells: Nicholas U. Mayall 4 m[10]
4 m
158″
Single
USA
Kitt Peak National Obs., Arizona, USA
1973
cells: Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT)
3.89 m
154″
Single
Australia, UK
Australian Astronomical Obs., New South Wales, Australia
1974
cells: 3.67 m AEOS Telescope (AEOS)
3.67 m
145″
Single
USA
Air Force Maui Optical Station, Hawaii, USA
1996
cells: 3.6 m Devasthal Optical Telescope[11] (DOT)
3.60 m
141″
Single
India
ARIES Devasthal Observatory, Nainital, India
2016
cells: Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG)
3.58 m
138″
Single
Italy
Roque de los Muchachos Obs., Canary Islands, Spain
1997
cells: New Technology Telescope (NTT)
3.58 m
142″
Single
ESO countries
La Silla Observatory, Coquimbo Region, Chile
1989
cells: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT)
3.58 m
141″
Single
Canada, France, USA
Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, USA
1979
cells: ESO 3.6 m Telescope
3.57 m
140″
Single
ESO countries
La Silla Observatory, Coquimbo Region, Chile
1977
cells: MPI-CAHA 3.5 m[12]
3.5 m
138″
Single
West Germany, Spain
Calar Alto Obs., Almería, Spain
1984
cells: USAF Starfire 3.5 m [13]
3.5 m
138″
Single
USA
Starfire Optical Range, New Mexico, USA
1994
cells: WIYN Telescope
3.5 m
138″
Single
USA
Kitt Peak National Obs., Arizona, USA
1994
cells: Space Surveillance Telescope
3.5 m
138″
Single
USA
White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA
2011
cells: Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC)
3.48 m
137″
Single
USA
Apache Point Obs., New Mexico, USA
1994
cells: Shane Telescope
3.05 m
120″
Single
USA
Lick Observatory, California, USA
1959
cells: NASA Infrared Telescope Facility
3.0 m
120″
Single
USA
Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii, USA
1979
cells: NASA-LMT →retired, private[14]
3 m
118″
Liquid
USA
NASA Orbital Debris Obs., New Mexico, USA
1995–2002
cells: See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list
See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list
See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list
See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list
See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list
See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list
See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list
See List of large optical reflecting telescopes for continuation of list

Questions about this table:
originalText: where is the world's largest optical telescope located
answer: answerTexts: Roque de los Muchachos Obs., Canary Islands, Spain