Keck Observatory

The W. M. Keck Observatory is a pair of two large, ground-based telescopes located at Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Sitting four km (more than two miles) above sea level, the paired telescopes are used to examine light from distant stars in great detail. The primary mirrors of each of the two telescopes are 10 meters (33 feet) across, making them slightly smaller than the Gran Telescopio Canarias primary mirrors.

W. M. Keck Observatory
The Keck observatory domes atop Mauna Kea
Alternative namesKeck telescope
Part ofMauna Kea Observatories 
Location(s)Hawaii
Coordinates19°49′35″N 155°28′28″W
Altitude4,145 m (13,599 ft)
BuiltSeptember 1985 –1996  (September 1985 –1996 )
First light24 November 1993, 23 October 1996 
Telescope styleastronomical observatory
optical telescope
reflecting telescope 
Number of telescopes2 
Diameter10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Angular resolution0.04 arcsecond, 0.4 arcsecond 
Collecting area76 m2 (820 sq ft)
Focal length17.5 m (57 ft 5 in)
Mountingaltazimuth mount 
Enclosurespherical dome 
Websitekeckobservatory.org
Location of Keck Observatory

However, all of the light collected by the Keck Observatory primary mirrors (75.76m2) is sent to the secondary mirror and the instruments, compared to GTC's primary mirror, which has an effective light-collection area of 73.4m2, or 25.4 square feet less than each of the Keck Observatory primary mirrors. Because of this fundamental difference in design, Keck Observatory's telescopes arguably remain the largest steerable, optical/infrared telescopes on Earth.

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