Hipparcos

198929 cm telescopeESA

LocationSpace

Year1989

Size29 cm telescope

OperatorESA

About Hipparcos

The first space mission devoted to astrometry. Measured the positions and motions of over 100,000 stars to milliarcsecond accuracy. Its star catalogs anchored distance scales for a generation. Demonstrated the techniques that Gaia would perfect.

Related Observatories

XMM-Newton

19990.7 m mirrors (3)ESA

The largest European science satellite ever built. Three parallel X-ray telescopes. Has discovered h...

Planck Observatory

20091.5 m mirrorESA

Mapped the cosmic microwave background in unprecedented detail. Determined the age of the universe a...

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...

Herschel Space Observatory

20093.5 m mirrorESA

The largest infrared telescope ever launched. Discovered that nearly all galaxies contain a supermas...