ObservatoryDB

104 telescopes, observatories, and research facilities worldwide. From mountain-top optical telescopes to space-based X-ray observatories.

Space Telescopes

James Webb Space Telescope

20216.5 m mirrorNASA/ESA/CSA

The most powerful space telescope ever built. Its sunshield is the size of a tennis court. Located 1...

Hubble Space Telescope

19902.4 m mirrorNASA/ESA

Orbiting 547 km above Earth. Has made over 1.5 million observations. Deep Field images revealed 10,0...

Chandra X-ray Observatory

19991.2 m mirrorNASA

The most powerful X-ray telescope in space. Orbits 139,000 km above Earth. Discovered that the unive...

Gaia Observatory

20131.45 m mirrors (2)ESA

Creating the most precise 3D map of the Milky Way. Has measured positions of 1.8 billion stars. Disc...

TESS

20184 camerasNASA

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. Has discovered over 7,000 exoplanet candidates. Surveys t...

Spitzer Space Telescope

20030.85 m mirrorNASA

An infrared space telescope that discovered the TRAPPIST-1 system of 7 Earth-sized planets. Operated...

Record Holders

FAST Telescope

2016500 m dishNAOC

The largest filled-aperture radio telescope in the world. Built in a natural karst depression in Gui...

Arecibo Observatory

1963305 m dishNSF

The largest single-aperture telescope ever built until FAST. Featured in the James Bond film GoldenE...

Gran Telescopio Canarias

200910.4 m mirrorSpain/Mexico/USA

The largest single-aperture optical telescope in the world. 36 hexagonal segments. Located on La Pal...

Very Large Telescope

19988.2 m mirrors (4)ESO

Four unit telescopes at Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert. Can work together as an interfero...

Green Bank Telescope

2000100 m dishNSF

The largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world. Located in the National Radio Quiet Zone. ...

Lovell Telescope

195776.2 m dishUniversity of Manchester

The third largest steerable radio telescope in the world. Tracked Sputnik 1 and Pioneer 5. Discovere...