These days, the most breathtaking images of the universe are being captured by orbiting telescopes. However, the large optical telescopes we have here on Earth continue to be useful. Top 10 Biggest Telescopes in the World
The optical telescope takes in the spectrum of visible light, which is the form in which electromagnetic energy can be seen by humans. Orbital telescopes, like as the Hubble, are able to take in a broader variety of data, including ultraviolet light that our atmosphere prevents ground-based observatories from seeing.
There are benefits to using land-based telescopes. If the Hubble telescope’s mirror stops working, for instance, you don’t have to launch the Space Shuttle to fix it as NASA did. The Extra-Large Telescope (ELT) continues to provide astounding results.
Here are the top 10 biggest telescopes in the world;
1. Gran Telescopic Canarias (GTC)
1st Biggest Telescopes in the World , To put it simply, no other optical telescope compares in size to the Gran Telescopio Canarias. There are 36 individual hexagonal mirrors that make up the 10.4-meter mirror. Its elevation is more than 7,000 feet. Thanks to a new initiative, the GTC can now study some of the most peculiar phenomena in the cosmos. When astronomers installed the high-speed imaging system HiPERCAM, they were able to take images of supernovae and pulsars with unprecedented clarity.
Once upon a time, GTC was used by astronomers to double-check the work of a hobbyist. The amateur astronomer found a dwarf galaxy near the Andromeda galaxy’s periphery. In order to ensure the existence of the galaxy, scientists used GTC to confirm its existence.
2. Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET)
2nd Biggest Telescopes in the World, The real size of the HET exceeds the dimensions of the mirror. In spite of its 11m height, only 10m is really usable. Pre-improvements, the height was just 9.2m. Similar to SALT, the mirror consists of a collection of hexagonal mirrors.
Several missions are currently being carried out by the HET:
In search of Dark Energy’s origin and make-up (HETDEX)
Find Earth-like planets in the cosmos (Habitable Zone Planet Finder)
Supermassive black hole astrometry.
HET has already found an extrasolar planet circling a star other than our sun.
3. Keck Telescope
Two optical telescopes that are 10 meters in diameter may be found at the Keck Observatory. Two astronomers from California spent years planning and raising money for the telescopes that were finally constructed in the early 1990s. William Keck, a wealthy benefactor, provided the bulk of the cash.
3rd Biggest Telescopes in the World, Astronomers rely on the Keck Telescope’s power and accuracy to verify their hypotheses. Several scientific discoveries, or their confirmations, have been accomplished with the help of Keck.
Detecting evidence of a planet outside our solar system
Better size estimates for the Andromeda galaxy.
The precise location of the Milky Way’s core has been found.
4. South African Large Telescope (SALT)
4th Biggest Telescopes in the World, The SALT is one of several telescopes from across the world that use the same mountaintop observatory. SALT was purpose-built to take use of this vantage point on the cosmos. The telescope’s primary mirror is really an array of 91 miniature mirrors.
SALT’s capabilities is analogous to that of a reflex SLR camera. It is able to photograph moving objects, but on a cosmic scale. The Magellanic Cloud and black holes have both been discovered with its help.
5. Large Binocular Telescope (LBT)
5th Biggest Telescopes in the World, Actually, the LBT is a pair of eyes. It’s a pair of 8.2m mirrors that function in unison. The telescope can acquire as much information as a telescope twice its size. It is run by a consortium of international astronomy groups and academic institutions in the United States.
Mt. Graham, where the observatory is located, is almost 10,000 feet above sea level. The San Carlos Apache tribe opposed the site selection on religious grounds when it was first suggested. Those concerned about the environment feared it might threaten a rare alpine species. It was only when Congress passed a law allowing the project to go forward that construction could begin.
6. Subaru Telescope
6th Biggest Telescopes in the World, The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan set out to construct a huge mirror telescope in the 1980s. The telescope’s construction in Hawaii was farmed out to the University of Hawaii. In 1998, the consortium’s building project was finally finished.
The Subaru is mostly used to look for Planet Nine, a made-up planet that may or may not be circling our solar. Until now, no one has bothered to examine this planet. The orbital data of the most distant planets, however, hints to the existence of Planet Nine.
7. Very Large Telescope (VLT)
European Southern Observatory (ESO) administrators could not have come up with a more generic-sounding, but more fitting, moniker for their quartet of essentially similar optical telescopes. Their diameters are approximately 30 feet, making them enormous.
7th Biggest Telescopes in the World, Due to their size, location, and capacity for joint usage, they are among the most effective telescopes in the world. Stars nearing black hole event horizons can be followed with the VLT, and extrasolar planets can be photographed.
8. Gemini North and South
8th Biggest Telescopes in the World, There are really two locations on opposite sides of the globe that make up the Gemini Observatory. They work in tandem to cover the whole sky, both in the northern and southern hemispheres. The facilities are owned and managed by a consortium of government agencies from the United States, Canada, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina.
9. MMT Observatory
The Mt. Hopkins telescope used to look quite different. The telescope used a set of six honeycombed mirrors from 1979 to 1998. The construction allowed astronomers to produce mirrors of sufficient size to meet their demands. Prof. Roger Angel overcame the casting challenge in 1998 and constructed a 6.5-meter mirror to replace the honeycomb mirror.
9th Biggest Telescopes in the World, The MMT got its secondary mirror in 2002, and it has been used since since. The clarity of the photos obtained at the observatory improved as a result. By offsetting the distortions introduced by the light source, its performance is greatly improved.
10. Magellan 1 & 2
10th Biggest Telescopes in the World, The Magellan telescopes are a pair of 6.5 m telescopes used to search galaxies for planets. The observatory was built and is managed by a group of institutions headed by the Carnegie Institution for Science. The universities of Arizona, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are providing support.
Different information may be gathered by different telescopes since each telescope has its unique set of equipment. Both Walter Baade and Landon Clay have been honored with namesakes.
