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Galileo Telescope
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Over 400 years ago, Galileo invented the first telescope. A one and a half inch lens was used to view the sky "up close" for the first time in this telescope. This small lens was fitted into simple wooden tubes just a few feet long. -
Newton's Reflecting Telescope
image from: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_kIWY2DV0KnE/SxSzmCctvpI/AAAAAAAAE-E/Y1BmYT2Y8Mc/Newton's reflecting telescope, the world's first.JPG
This early telescope used a concave primary mirror. It was designed by world famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton. It is the earliest known funtioning reflecting telescope. -
Hevelius Telescope
image from:http://galileo.rice.edu/images/things/hevelius_telescope_140ft.gif
This was designed by Johannes Hevelius in Danzig. It was a refracting telescope and was 150 feet long. It was hung by poles and strings, so it udnulated in the slightest breeze. -
Herschel Telescope
image from: http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/science/astronomy/biography/graphics/herschel2.jpg
Sir William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus in 1781 with a hand made reflecting telescope. 8 years later, he developed the Herschel telescope. Completed with funding from King George II, this telescope was 40 feet long. Due to its excessve height and weight, it proved to be less effective than was hoped. -
Levianth of Parsonstown
image from: http://casswww.ucsd.edu/archive/public/tutorial/images/telescopes/leviathan.jpg
This telescope is from Ireland. It is massive, with a six foot diameter lens. It allowed its creator, Lord Roose, to discover the first spiral nebulae. -
Yerkes Observatory Telescope
image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Yerkes_40_inch_Refractor_Telescope-1897.jpg/220px-Yerkes_40_inch_Refractor_Telescope-1897.jpg
This telescope is 40 inch refracting telescope. It is and was the largest refracting telescope ever built. The refracting telescope went on to be the preferred telescope around the world. -
Hooker Telescope
picture from: http://www.mtwilson.edu/vir/100/100_int.jpg
This is a 100 inch lens telescope and it is stationed on Mt. Wilson in California. It was the largest optical telescope of its time. A significant discovery made with this telescope was Edwin Hubble's determination of the distance to the Andromeda Nebula. -
Maksutov Telescope
image from: http://astrozap.com/ProdImages/mak.jpg
This type of telescope was invented in 1944 by Dmitri Maksutov. Maksutov claims to come up with the idea of the meniscus corrector plate while on a train of refugees from Leningrad.This type of telescope was designed by mounting a convex secondary mirror near the focus of the primary mirror. -
Hale Telescope
image from: http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/98fall/images/op15746-1891.jpg
This is a 200 inch reflecting telescope. The Hale Telescope is located in Pasadena California and has been at the heart of scientific discoveries for over 60 years. This telescope plays a role in the discoveries about galaxies. -
Vanguard 2
Photo from: http://space.skyrocket.de/img_sat/vanguard-2__1.jpg
This is actually a satellite launched with optical telescopes to measure reflection of light from land and clouds. It may have been the first satellite to be launched with optical telescopes. This is not known for sure because of lack of knowledge of spy satellites. -
Alatazimuth Telescope
image from: http://www.company7.com/library/unitron/graphics/Unitron_4eqw_578750.jpg
This was a 238 foot telescope. It was developed in Russia in the early 1960's. It was finished in Russia in 1965. -
Bolshoi Teleskop
picture from: http://site2010.sai.msu.ru/static/photo/bta.jpg
This is a six meter telescope. It is comissioned atop Mount Pastukhov in Russia. It was the largest optical telescope of its time. -
Hubble Space Telescope
picture from: http://www.nevadaspacegrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Hubble-Telescope.jpg
This was designed by Ritchey Chretien. It was the first space based observatory and has a 2.4 meter lens. The images provided through it are unprecented in their quality. -
Keck 1 Telescope
picture from: http://files.myopera.com/edwardpiercy/blog/Keck-Telescope-Night-1.jpg
The first use of this telescope was atop Mauna Kea Volcano in Hawaii. Although in Hawaii, the telescope is supported mostly by the California government. It was the largest optical telescope of its time. -
Twin Mirrored Binocular Scope
picture from: http://www.poyi.org/67/photos/02-third/67-02-03-McNaJ-A-01.jpg
This massive telescope is located on Mount Grahm in Arizona. This telescope is composed of the two 8.4 m circular mirrors placed side-by-side and has the equivalent light-gathering capability as an 11.8 metre reflecting telescope. This is the most advanced telescope of its time. -
James Webb Space Telescope first flight
image from: http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/images/JWST-436.jpg
In 2013, the incredible James Webb telescope is scheduled to be launched into space. Despite Nasa's cut funding, they will finish and launch this immaculate telescope on a mission designed to last five years. It will have a 6.5 meter diameter. mirror
