List of largest optical refracting telescopes

Here is a list of the largest optical refracting telescope

Refracting telescope

A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...

s sorted by lens diameter and focal length.

The largest practical functioning refracting telescope is the Yerkes Observatory

Yerkes Observatory

Yerkes Observatory is an astronomical observatory operated by the University of Chicago in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. The observatory, which calls itself "the birthplace of modern astrophysics," was founded in 1897 by George Ellery Hale and financed by Charles T. Yerkes...

40 inch (102 cm) refractor, used for astronomical and scientific observation for over a century.

Most are classical Great refractors, which used achromatic doublets on a equatorial mount. However, other large refractors include a 21st century Solar telescope which is not directly comparable because it uses a single element non-achromatic lens, and the short-lived Great Paris Exhibition Telescope of 1900

Great Paris Exhibition Telescope of 1900

The Great Paris Exhibition Telescope of 1900, with an objective lens of 1.25 m in diameter, was the largest refracting telescope ever constructed. It was built as the centerpiece of the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900. Its construction was instigated in 1892 by François Deloncle , a member of...

. It used a 78-inch (200 cm) Focault siderostat for aiming light into the Image-forming optical system

Image-forming optical system

In optics, an image-forming optical system is a system capable of being used for imaging. The diameter of the aperture of the main objective is a common criteria for comparison among optical systems, such as large telescopes....

part of the telescope, which had a 125 cm diameter lens. Using a siderostat incurs a reflective loss. Larger meniscus lenses have been used in later catadioptric

Catadioptric

A catadioptric optical system is one where refraction and reflection are combined in an optical system, usually via lenses and curved mirrors . Catadioptric combinations are used in focusing systems such as search lights, headlamps, early lighthouse focusing systems, optical telescopes,...

telescopes which mix refractors and reflectors in the image-forming part of the telescope. As with reflecting telescopes, there was an ongoing struggle to balance cost with size, quality, and usefulness.

Name/Observatory	Location at Debut	Modern Location Name or Fate	Lens diameter	Focal length Focal length The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...	Built	Comments
Great Paris Exhibition Telescope of 1900 Great Paris Exhibition Telescope of 1900 The Great Paris Exhibition Telescope of 1900, with an objective lens of 1.25 m in diameter, was the largest refracting telescope ever constructed. It was built as the centerpiece of the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900. Its construction was instigated in 1892 by François Deloncle , a member of...	Paris 1900 Exposition	Dismantled 1900	125 cm (49.21")	57 m (187 feet)	1900	Fixed lens, scrapped. Aimed via a 2m reflecting siderostat
Yerkes Observatory Yerkes Observatory Yerkes Observatory is an astronomical observatory operated by the University of Chicago in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. The observatory, which calls itself "the birthplace of modern astrophysics," was founded in 1897 by George Ellery Hale and financed by Charles T. Yerkes...	Williams Bay, Wisconsin Williams Bay, Wisconsin Williams Bay is a village in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,415 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Williams Bay is located at .... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	-	102 cm (40″)	19.4 m (62′)	1897	Largest in current operation.
Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope Swedish Solar Telescope The Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope is a refracting solar telescope at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma in the Canary Islands. It is run by the Institute for Solar Physics of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The primary element is a single fused silica lens, making it the second... , ORM Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Roque de los Muchachos Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in the municipality of Garafía on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands...	La Palma La Palma La Palma is the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands. La Palma has an area of 706 km2 making it the fifth largest of the seven main Canary Islands... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...	-	98 cm (39.37")	15 m	2002	Single element non-achromatic objective Non-achromatic objective A non-achromatic objective is an objective lens which is not corrected for chromatic aberration. In telescopes they can a be pre-18th century simple single element objective lenses which were used before the invention of doublet achromatic lenses... combined with reflective Adaptive optics Adaptive optics Adaptive optics is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effect of wavefront distortions. It is used in astronomical telescopes and laser communication systems to remove the effects of atmospheric distortion, and in retinal imaging systems to reduce the... and a Schupmann corrector.
James Lick telescope James Lick telescope The James Lick Telescope is an antique refracting 36 inch telescope built in 1889 that can still be viewed through today... Lick Observatory Lick Observatory The Lick Observatory is an astronomical observatory, owned and operated by the University of California. It is situated on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, USA...	Mount Hamilton, California Mount Hamilton (California) Mount Hamilton is a mountain in California's Diablo Range, in Santa Clara County, California. Mount Hamilton, at is the tallest mountain overlooking Silicon Valley, and is the site of Lick Observatory, the first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory. The various summits along its... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	-	91 cm (36″)	17.6 m	1888
Grande Lunette Paris Observatory Paris Observatory The Paris Observatory is the foremost astronomical observatory of France, and one of the largest astronomical centres in the world...	Meudon, France	-	83 cm + 62 cm (32.67" + 24.40")	16.2 m	1891	Double telescope
Großer Refraktor Astrophysical Observatory Potsdam Astrophysical Institute Potsdam Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam is a German research institute. It is the successor of the Berlin Observatory founded in 1700 and of the Astrophysical Observatory Potsdam founded in 1874. The latter was the world's first observatory to emphasize explicitly the research area of...	Potsdam Potsdam Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre.... , Deutsches Kaiserreich	Potsdam Potsdam Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre.... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	80 cm + 50 cm (31.5"+29.5")	12.0 m	1899	Double telescope
Grande Lunette Nice Observatory Nice Observatory The Observatoire de Nice is an astronomical observatory located in Nice, France on the summit of Mont Gros. The observatory was initiated in 1879 by the banker Raphaël Bischoffsheim...	Nice, France	since 1988 Côte d'Azur Observatory Côte d'Azur Observatory The Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur originated in 1988 with the merger of two observatories:# Observatoire de Nice# The CERGA - External links :*...	77 cm (30.3″)	17.9 m	1886	Biscoffscheim funded
William Thaw Telescope Allegheny Observatory Allegheny Observatory The Allegheny Observatory is an American astronomical research institution, a part of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh. The facility is listed on the National Register of Historical Places The Allegheny Observatory is an American astronomical research...	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	-	76 cm (30″)	14.1 m	1914	Brashear made, photographic
Pulkovo observatory Pulkovo Observatory The Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory астрономи́ческая обсервато́рия Росси́йской акаде́мии нау́к), the principal astronomical observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, located 19 km south of Saint Petersburg on Pulkovo Heights...	Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea... , Russian Empire Russian Empire The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...	Destroyed	76 cm (30″)	12.8 m (42 feet)	1885	Destroyed during WWII Siege of Leningrad The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last... , only lens (made by Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons was an American maker of optics that became famous for crafting lenses for some of the largest refracting telescopes of the 19th and early 20th centuries... ) survives.
28-inch Grubb Refractor Royal Greenwich Observatory	Greenwich, London, Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...	-	71 cm (28″)	8.5 m	1894
Großer Refraktor Vienna Observatory Vienna Observatory Universitäts-Sternwarte Wien is an astronomical observatory in Vienna, Austria. It is part of the University of Vienna. The first observatory was built in 1753–1754 on the roof of one of the university buildings....	Vienna History of Vienna The history of Vienna has been long and varied, beginning when the Roman Empire created a military camp in the area covered by Vienna's city centre. From that humble beginning, Vienna grew from the Roman settlement known as Vindobona to be an important trading site in the 11th century... , Austrian Empire Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...	Vienna, Austria	69 cm (27" )	10.5 m	1880	Largest refractor in 1880
Great Treptow Refractor Treptow Observatory	Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	-	68 cm (26.77")	21 m	1896	renamed Archenhold Observatory 1946
Leander McCormick Observatory	Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	-	66 cm (26" )	9.9 m	1884	completed c. 1874, installed 1884
U.S. Naval Observatory	Foggy Bottom Foggy Bottom Foggy Bottom is one of the oldest late 18th and 19th-century neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. The area is thought to have received the name because its riverside location made it susceptible to concentrations of fog and industrial smoke, an atmospheric trait that did not prevent the neighborhood... Washington, DC, USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	moved to Northwest, Washington, D.C., 1893	66 cm (26")	9.9 m	1873	Largest refractor in 1873. Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons was an American maker of optics that became famous for crafting lenses for some of the largest refracting telescopes of the 19th and early 20th centuries... mounting replaced with Warner & Swasey mounting in 1893.
Royal Greenwich Observatory	Herstmonceux Herstmonceux Herstmonceux is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The parish includes Herstmonceux Castle, the village of Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets.-History:... , Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...	-	66 cm (26")	6.82 m	1896
Yale-Columbia Refractor Yale Southern Station	Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... , Union of South Africa Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...	Relocated 1952	66 cm (26")	10.8 m	1925–1952	Yale-Columbia Refractor moved to Mount Stromlo Observatory Mount Stromlo Observatory Mount Stromlo Observatory located just outside of Canberra, Australia, is part of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University .-History:... in 1952, same telescope as following entry.
Yale-Columbia Refractor Mount Stromlo Observatory Mount Stromlo Observatory Mount Stromlo Observatory located just outside of Canberra, Australia, is part of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University .-History:...	Mount Stromlo Mount Stromlo Mount Stromlo is situated a short drive west of the centre of Canberra, Australia, near the district of Weston Creek. Its peak is at approximately 770m AHD.... , Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...	Destroyed 2003	66 cm (26")	10.8 m	1952	Yale-Columbia Refractor - Previously located in South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... . Relocated to Australia in 1952. Destroyed by bush fire 2003 Canberra bushfires The Canberra bushfires of 2003 caused severe damage to the outskirts of Canberra, the Australian capital city. Almost 70% of the Australian Capital Territory’s pasture, forests and nature parks were severely damaged, and most of the renowned Mount Stromlo Observatory was destroyed... on January 18, 2003.
65 cm Zeiss Refractor, Pulkovo observatory Pulkovo Observatory The Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory астрономи́ческая обсервато́рия Росси́йской акаде́мии нау́к), the principal astronomical observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, located 19 km south of Saint Petersburg on Pulkovo Heights...	Germany	Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...	65 cm (25.59″)	10.413 m	1954	War reparation from Germany In Pulkovo since 1954.
Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory The Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Venezuela, run by the Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomia...	Llano del Hato, Venezuela Venezuela Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...	-	65 cm (25.6″)	10.5 m	1976
Belgrade Observatory	Belgrade Belgrade Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe... , Kingdom of Serbia Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...	Belgrade Belgrade Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe... , Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...	65 cm (25.6″)	10.55 m		Zeiss made lens, same as at Berlin Observatory Berlin Observatory The Berlin Observatory is a series of observatories and related organizations in and around the city of Berlin in Germany, starting from the 18th century...
Hida Observatory	Gifu Gifu, Gifu is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used... , Japan	-	65 cm (25.6″))	10.50 m	1972	Largest refractor of the East
Berlin-Babelsberg Observatory Berliner Sternwarte Babelsberg	Berlin, Germany		65 cm (26 in)	10.12 m (33 ft)	1914	Berlin Observatory just moved to Potsdam-Babelsberg Potsdam-Babelsberg Babelsberg is the largest district of the Brandenburg capital Potsdam in Germany. The affluent neighbourhood named after a small hill on the Havel river is famous for Babelsberg Palace and Park, part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as for Studio... in 1913; Zeiss lens
Newall Refractor Athens Observatory	Athens, Greece	-	62.5 cm (24.5″)	8.86 m (29 ft)	1869	Built bt Thomas Cooke Thomas Cooke This page is about the instrument maker. For other persons named Thomas Cooke, see Thomas CookeThomas Cooke was a British instrument maker based on York. He founded T. Cooke & Sons, the instrument company-Life:... for Robert Stirling Newall Robert Stirling Newall Robert Stirling Newall FRS was a Scottish engineer and astronomer.Born in Dundee, he was befriended by civil engineer L.D.B. Gordon. In 1838, whilst studying at the Freiburg School of Mines, Germany, Gordon visited the mines at Clausthal, and met Wilhelm Albert... . First located at his estate; donated and relocated to Cambridge Observatory Cambridge Observatory Cambridge Observatory is an astronomical observatory at the University of Cambridge in the East of England. It was first established in 1823 and is now part of the site of the Institute of Astronomy... in 1889; donated to Athens Observatory and relocated to Mt. Pentelikon in Greece in 1957. Currently used only for educational purposes.
Lowell Observatory Lowell Observatory Lowell Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Lowell Observatory was established in 1894, placing it among the oldest observatories in the United States, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965....	Arizona, USA	-	61 cm (24″)	6.7 m (22.6 ft)	1894	Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons was an American maker of optics that became famous for crafting lenses for some of the largest refracting telescopes of the 19th and early 20th centuries... telescope
Sproul Observatory Sproul Observatory Sproul Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Swarthmore College. It is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States, and is named after William Cameron Sproul, the 27th Governor of Pennsylvania, who graduated from Swarthmore in 1891.-Tours:An open house is offered...	Pennsylvania, USA	-	61 cm (24″)	11.0 m (36 ft)	1911
Craig telescope Craig telescope The Craig telescope was the largest refracting telescope in the world from 1852 to 1857, erected near London, England. It was a great refractor, a large refracting telescope with an achromatic doublet with an aperture of 61 cm and that was completed in 1852 in Wandsworth Common and dismantled...	Wandsworth Common Wandsworth Common Wandsworth common is a public common in Wandsworth, south London. It is close to Clapham Common and Wandsworth Common railway station. It is wholly in the London borough of Wandsworth... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...	Dismantled 1857	61 cm (24″)	24.5 m (80 feet)	1852	Problem with lens figuring
Radcliffe Double Refractor University of London Observatory University of London Observatory The University of London Observatory at Mill Hill in London is an astronomical teaching observatory, part of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at University College London....	Oxford Oxford The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through... , UK	Mill Hill Mill Hill Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...	60 + 45 cm (23.6″ + 18")	7.0 m	1901	Obtained from the Radcliffe Observatory Radcliffe Observatory Radcliffe Observatory was the astronomical observatory of Oxford University from 1773 until 1934, when the Radcliffe Trustees sold it and erected a new observatory in Pretoria, South Africa. It is a grade I listed building.- History :... and installed at ULO in 1938
Zeiss Double Refractor Bosscha Observatory Bosscha Observatory Bosscha Observatory is the oldest observatory in Indonesia. The observatory is located in Lembang, West Java, approximately north of Bandung. It is situated on a hilly six hectares of land and is above mean sea level plateau...	Bandung Bandung Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler... , Dutch East Indies Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....	Bandung Bandung Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...	60 cm (23.6″)	10.7 m	1928
Der Große Refraktor (Great Refractor) Hamburg Observatory	Bergedorf Bergedorf Bergedorf is the largest of the seven boroughs of Hamburg, Germany and a quarter within this borough. In 2006 the population of the borough was 118,942.-History:... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	-	60 cm (23.6″)	9 m	1911
Halstead Observatory	Princeton, USA	Roper Mountain Science Center Roper Mountain Science Center Roper Mountain Science Center is located in Greenville, SC. It encompasses a campus containing facilities for studying life and natural sciences, and space and physical sciences. Among its facilities are the Living history Farm, the Darell W. Harrison Hall of Natural Sciences, the Simms hall of... , Greenville, SC Greenville, South Carolina -Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...	58.4 cm (23″)	9.8 m (32 ft)	1881	by Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons was an American maker of optics that became famous for crafting lenses for some of the largest refracting telescopes of the 19th and early 20th centuries...
Chamberlin Observatory Chamberlin Observatory Chamberlin Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by University of Denver. It is located in Denver, Colorado in Observatory Park. It is named for Humphrey B. Chamberlin, a Denver real estate magnate who pledged $50,000 in 1888 to build and equip the facility.The...	Colorado, USA	-	50 cm (20″)	8.5 m (28 ft)	1891	First Light 1894
Van Vleck Observatory Van Vleck Observatory Van Vleck Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Wesleyan University. It was built in 1914 and named after the former head of the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy at the university, Prof. John M. Van Vleck. It is located in Middletown, Connecticut .-Directors:*...	Connecticut, USA	-	50 cm (20″)	8.4 m (27.5 ft)	1922
Chabot Observatory		Oakland, California Oakland, California Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724... , USA (2000)	50 cm (20″)	8.5 m (28 ft)	1914	"Rachael" Warner & Swazey Company (Optics John A Brashear Company) Refurb in 2000 and moved to present location.
Carnegie Double Astrograph Lick Observatory Lick Observatory The Lick Observatory is an astronomical observatory, owned and operated by the University of California. It is situated on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, USA...	Mount Hamilton, California Mount Hamilton (California) Mount Hamilton is a mountain in California's Diablo Range, in Santa Clara County, California. Mount Hamilton, at is the tallest mountain overlooking Silicon Valley, and is the site of Lick Observatory, the first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory. The various summits along its... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	not in service threatened with removal	50 cm (20″)	4.67 m (14 ft)	1941	F7.4
Imperial Observatory Observatory of Strasbourg The Observatory of Strasbourg is an astronomical observatory in Strasbourg, France.Following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the city of Strasbourg became part of the German Empire. The University of Strasbourg was refounded in 1872 and a new observatory began construction in 1875...	Straßburg, German Empire German Empire The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...	Strasbourg Strasbourg Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,... , France	48.5 cm (19.1″)	7 m (23 ft)	1880	Then largest in German Empire
18½-in Dearborn Observatory Dearborn Observatory The Dearborn Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on the Evanston campus of Northwestern University. The observatory was originally constructed in 1888... Refractor	Chicago, USA	Evanston, USA	47 cm (18.5″)		1862	by Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons was an American maker of optics that became famous for crafting lenses for some of the largest refracting telescopes of the 19th and early 20th centuries...
Wilder Observatory Wilder Observatory Wilder Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Amherst College. It is located in a building off Snell Street in Amherst, Massachusetts ....	Amherst College, Amherst, MA, USA	-	46 cm (18″)	(25 ft)	1903	by Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons was an American maker of optics that became famous for crafting lenses for some of the largest refracting telescopes of the 19th and early 20th centuries...
Flower Observatory	Philadelphia, USA	-	46 cm (18″)	6.7 m (22.6 ft)	1896
Royal Observatory	Cape Colony Cape Colony The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take... , British Empire British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...	South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	46 cm (18″)	6.7 m (22.6 ft)	1897
Herget Telescope Cincinnati Observatory Cincinnati Observatory The Cincinnati Observatory, located in Cincinnati, Ohio on top of Mt. Lookout. It consists of two observatory buildings housing an 11 inch and 16 inch aperture refracting telescope. It is the oldest professional observatory in the United States...	Cincinnati, Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...	-	40.64 cm (16″)		1904	Alvan Clark & Sons
Harvard Great Refractor Harvard College Observatory Harvard College Observatory The Harvard College Observatory is an institution managing a complex of buildings and multiple instruments used for astronomical research by the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and was founded in 1839...	Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... , USA	-	38 cm (15″)		1847	largest telescope in America for 20 years
Bamberg Refractor Urania Observatory (Berlin)	Berlin-Moabit Moabit Moabit is an inner city locality of Berlin. Since Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it belongs to the newly regrouped governmental borough of Mitte. Previously, from 1920 to 2001, it belonged to the borough of Tiergarten. Moabit's borders are defined by three watercourses, the Spree, the... , Prussia Prussia Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...	Berlin, Germany	31.4 cm (12.36")	5 m	1889	then biggest in Prussia, moved to Insulaner Wilhelm-Foerster Observatory in 1963
Silesian Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory Silesian Planetarium The Silesian Planetarium also Silesian Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory is the largest and oldest planetarium in Poland. It was founded on 4 December 1955 to commemorate the great astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus...	Katowice Katowice Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2... /Chorzów Chorzów Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million... , Silesia Silesia Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław... , Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...		30 cm (12")		1955	Largest and oldest Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory in Poland. The 3rd largest in Eastern Europe Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"... (east of Germany), after Pulkovo Observatory Pulkovo Observatory The Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory астрономи́ческая обсервато́рия Росси́йской акаде́мии нау́к), the principal astronomical observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, located 19 km south of Saint Petersburg on Pulkovo Heights... in Saint Petersburg, Russia and Belgrade Observatory in Belgrade, Serbia
Urania Sternwarte Urania Sternwarte Urania Sternwarte is a public observatory in the Lindenhof quarter of Zurich, Switzerland. Its name Urania refers to the muse of astronomy in Greek mythology.- History :Its origins base on a first observatory on the roof of the Zunfthaus zur Meisen... (Zurich)	Zurich, Switzerland	-	30 cm (12″)	5.05 m	1907	by Fraunhofer and Zeiss
University of Illinois Observatory University of Illinois Observatory The University of Illinois Astronomical Observatory was constructed in 1896. It stands on South Matthews Avenue in Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. The observatory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 6, 1986 and on December 20, 1989, the U.S. Department of Interior...	Urbana, Illinois Urbana, Illinois Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area.... , USA	-	30 cm (12″)		1896	by John Brashear John Brashear Dr. John Alfred Brashear was an American astronomer and instrument builder.- Life and work :Brashear was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, a town 35 miles south of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River. His father, Basil Brown Brashear, was a saddler, and his mother, Julia Smith Brashear, was a... , National Historic Landmark, still used for instruction
Mitchell Telescope Cincinnati Observatory Cincinnati Observatory The Cincinnati Observatory, located in Cincinnati, Ohio on top of Mt. Lookout. It consists of two observatory buildings housing an 11 inch and 16 inch aperture refracting telescope. It is the oldest professional observatory in the United States...	Cincinnati, Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus... , USA	-	28 cm (11″)		1843	Merz & Mahler; Oldest professional telescope still used weekly by the public
Mills Observatory Mills Observatory The Mills Observatory in Dundee, Scotland, is the only full-time public astronomical observatory in the UK . Built in 1935, the observatory is classically styled in sandstone and has a distinctive 7 m dome, which houses a Victorian refracting telescope, a small planetarium, and display areas...		Dundee Dundee Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... (1951)	25 cm (10″)		1871	by T. Cooke & Sons T. Cooke & Sons T. Cooke & Sons was a British instrument-making firm, founded by Thomas Cooke.The firm built the clock face on the Darlington clock tower.In 1922 it merged with Troughton & Simms to form Cooke, Troughton & Simms.-References:* *... . Training telescope at St. Andrews University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between... 1938-1951
Fraunhofer-Refraktor Berlin Observatory Berlin Observatory The Berlin Observatory is a series of observatories and related organizations in and around the city of Berlin in Germany, starting from the 18th century...	Berlin-Kreuzberg, Deutsches Kaiserreich	Moved 1913 to Munich, Germany	24 cm (9.6″)	4 m (13.4′)	1835	Used to discover Neptune Neptune Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times... ; in Deutsches Museum Deutsches Museum The Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany, is the world's largest museum of technology and science, with approximately 1.5 million visitors per year and about 28,000 exhibited objects from 50 fields of science and technology. The museum was founded on June 28, 1903, at a meeting of the Association... , München since 1913
Great Dorpat Refractor (Fraunhofer) Dorpat/Tartu Observatory Tartu Observatory The Tartu Observatory is the largest astronomical observatory in Estonia. It is located on the Tõravere hill, about 20 km south-west of Tartu in Nõo Parish, Tartu County...	Dorpat, Governorate of Livonia	Tartu Tartu Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the... , Estonia Estonia Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...	24 cm (9.6″)	4 m (13.4′)	1824	"..the first modern, achromatic, refracting telescope."

See also

Further reading