1948 ⟶ Completion of the Palomar Observatory's 200-inch telescope

The largest telescope in the world, with a 5.08m (200 in) mi...
Timelines Logo
Year
1845
1948
1990
1992
2023

🔭 Construction of a Large Reflecting Telescope

Irish astronomer William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse completes the first of the world's great telescopes, with a 180-cm mirror. He uses it to study and draw the structure of nebulas, and within a few months discovers the spiral structure of the Whirlpool Galaxy.⟶
Construction of a Large Reflecting Telescope (1845)
AstronomyTelescopeWilliam ParsonsObservational Astronomy19th CenturyNebulaeWhirlpool Galaxy
IrelandIreland

🔭 Completion of the Palomar Observatory's 200-inch telescope

The largest telescope in the world, with a 5.08m (200 in) mirror, is completed at Palomar Mountain in California. At the time, the telescope pushes single-mirror telescope technology to its limits – large mirrors tend to bend under their own weight.⟶
AstronomyTelescopePalomar ObservatoryOptical AstronomyAstrophysicsObservational ScienceTechnological AdvancementLarge Telescopes
USAUSA

🔭 Hubble Space Telescope Launched and Initial Difficulties

The Hubble Space Telescope, the first large optical telescope in orbit, is launched using the Space Shuttle, but astronomers soon discovered that it is crippled by a problem with its mirror. A complex repair mission in 1993 allows the telescope to start producing spectacular images of distant stars, nebulae, and galaxies.⟶
Hubble Space Telescope Launched and Initial Difficulties (1990)
AstronomySpace TelescopeHubble Space TelescopeSpace ExplorationOptical AstronomyNASA1990sCosmologyAstrophysicsEngineering
United StatesUnited States

🔭 Keck Telescope Completed

The 10-meter Keck telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, is completed. The first revolutionary new wave of telescopes, the Keck's main mirror is made of 36 six-sided segments, with computers to control their alignment. New optical telescopes also make use of interferometry – improving resolution by combining images from separate telescopes.⟶
Keck Telescope Completed (1992)
AstronomyTelescopeOptical AstronomyKeck TelescopeMauna KeaInterferometry

🌟 First "Image" of the Milky Way in Neutrinos

First "image" of the Milky Way in neutrinos instead of light⟶
First "Image" of the Milky Way in Neutrinos (2023)
AstronomyMilky WayNeutrinosParticle PhysicsAstrophysics21st CenturyTelescopeCosmic Rays