Uraniborg Observatory
Begins constructing Uraniborg as a dedicated astronomical research observatory.
Astronomy topic guide · World History Database
History of the Astronomical Telescope
The telescope changed astronomy by extending human vision beyond the limits of the naked eye. Galileo’s early telescopic observations demonstrated how an optical instrument could reveal previously unknown celestial features. Over the following centuries larger refractors and reflectors enabled increasingly precise studies of planets, stars and nebulae. Photography, spectroscopy and electronic detectors turned telescopes into instruments for measuring the physical universe, while observatories moved to high mountains and eventually into space. Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer and JWST represent the modern continuation of this instrumental revolution.
What this chronology covers
Telescope history is not simply a story of larger lenses and mirrors. Each generation of instruments opened new wavelengths, improved angular resolution or increased sensitivity. Nineteenth-century spectroscopy turned telescopes into tools for analysing stellar chemistry, photographic plates made long exposures and surveys possible, radio telescopes opened a non-visible sky, and orbital observatories escaped atmospheric absorption. The database therefore treats the telescope as part of a wider history of astronomical instrumentation.
145matching astronomy records
2,423records in the complete astronomy database
Selected database timeline
The records below are drawn from the existing World History Database astronomy collection and arranged chronologically. For very broad subjects, the page shows a substantial selection rather than duplicating the entire parent database.
Astronomiae Pars Optica (The Optical Part of Astronomy), describes the astronomical implications of optics such as parallax and the apparent sizes of heavenly bodies
Publication of Astronomiae Pars Optica (The Optical Part of Astronomy), describes the astronomical implications of optics such as parallax and the apparent sizes of heavenly bodies
Astronomiae Pars Optica
Publication of Astronomiae Pars Optica (The Optical Part of Astronomy), describes the astronomical implications of optics such as parallax and the apparent sizes of heavenly bodies
Discovery of Parallax
Publication of Astronomiae Pars Optica (The Optical Part of Astronomy), describes the astronomical implications of optics such as parallax and the apparent sizes of heavenly bodies
Sunspots
Sunspots are first observed telescopically in late 1610 by the English astronomer Thomas Harriot
Discovery of Moon
Uses the newly invented telescope to discover mountains & continents on the moon
Discovery of Saturn
The first observation of Saturn through a telescope is made by Galileo Galilei, his first telescope is so crude that he wasnt able to distinguish the planets rings; instead he thought the planet might have ears or two large moons on either side
Invention of Telescope
Publishes his initial telescopic astronomical observations in March 1610 in a short treatise entitled Sidereus Nuncius (Starry Messenger)
Sidereus Nuncius
Publishes his initial telescopic astronomical observations in March 1610 in a short treatise entitled Sidereus Nuncius (Starry Messenger). Publication of "The Starry Messenger", claims the Earth revolves around the Sun
Milky Way Resolved into Stars
Galileo reports that telescopic observation resolves the Milky Way into a vast multitude of individual stars.
First Telescopic Observation of Jovian Satellites
Observes three points of light close to Jupiter, beginning the discovery of its major moons.
Sidereus Nuncius
Publishes telescopic observations of Jupiter's satellites in Sidereus Nuncius.
Discovery of Orion Nebula
Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc discovers the Orion Nebula using a telescope
Accademia dei Lincei
The name "telescope" is coined for Galileo's instrument by a Greek mathematician, Giovanni Demisiani, at a banquet held by Prince Federico Cesi to make Galileo a member of his Accademia dei Lincei
Rome Telescope Demonstrations
Galileo demonstrates telescopic observations in Rome, strengthening recognition of the instrument's astronomical value.
Discovery of Andromeda Galaxy
Gives a description of the Andromeda Galaxy based on telescopic observations
First Telescopic Description of Andromeda
Observes M31 through a telescope and describes its pale central glow, providing the first known telescopic account of the Andromeda object.
First Telescopic Planetary Transit
Records the first telescopic observation of a planetary transit.
Gdansk Observatory
Establishes an observatory on the roofs of his Gdansk houses.
Private Astronomical Observatory
Builds a major European centre for naked-eye astronomical observation.
Filar Micrometer
Develops a micrometer for measuring small angular separations through telescopes.
Precision Telescopic Measurement
Improves quantitative observation of planetary diameters and double stars.
Beijing Observatory Leadership
Assumes responsibility for imperial astronomy after successful prediction work.
Astronomical Instruments Treatise
Documents large precision instruments used before telescopic sights became standard.
Machina Coelestis
Publishes a description of his observatory, instruments and observing methods.
Observatory Design
Designs Flamsteed House for the new Royal Observatory.
Royal Observatory Founded
Orders creation of the Royal Observatory to improve navigation.
Observatory Foundation Stone
Lays the foundation stone of the Royal Observatory.
Flamsteed House Occupied
Moves into the new observatory building at Greenwich.
Messier Catalogue
The resolving power of the Herschel telescopes revealed that the nebulae in the Messier catalogue were clusters of stars
Telescope
Herschel constructs his first large telescope
Discovery of Uranus
Discovers Uranus using a home made telescope from his back garden in Bath
Discovery of Globular Clusters
William Herschel begins a survey program in 1782 using larger telescopes and was able to resolve the stars in all 33 of the known globular clusters. When William Herschel began his comprehensive survey of the sky using large telescopes in 1782 there were 34 known globular clusters. Herschel discovered another 36 himself and was the first to resolve virtually all of them into stars
Astronomer Royal Appointed
Takes charge of Greenwich Observatory after Maskelyne.
Seeberg Observatory
Appointed Director of the Seeberg observatory
Herschel Museum of Astronomy
Herschels house at 19 New King Street in Bath, Somerset where he made many telescopes and first observed Uranus, is now home to the Herschel Museum of Astronomy
Brussels Observatory Founded
Secures support for establishing an astronomical observatory in Brussels.
Royal Observatory Project
Creates the institution that develops into the Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Brussels Meteorological Observations
Organizes regular meteorological observations at the Brussels observatory.
Reddish Jovian Oval
Describes a reddish elliptical marking in Jupiter's southern hemisphere during telescopic observations.
Belgian Observatory Reorganization
Promotes new instruments, publications and international astronomical cooperation.
Royal Observatory Directorship
Becomes director of the Royal Observatory and reorganizes its work.
Jupiter Photography
Photographs and studies Jupiter with the large refractor at Lick Observatory.
Discovery of Amalthea
Discovers Amalthea, the fifth known moon of Jupiter and the last satellite found visually.
Lowell Observatory
Percival Lowell founds the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona
Discovery of Himalia
Discovers Himalia in photographs taken with the Crossley reflector at Lick Observatory.
Discovery of Elara
Discovers Elara, an outer irregular moon of Jupiter, using photographic observations.
Royal Greenwich Observatory
Nominated to the post of chief assistant to the Astronomer Royal at the Royal Greenwich Observatory
Greenwich Observatory Leadership
Takes national leadership of British positional astronomy.
Galaxy Redshift
Slipher measures a large redshift for the Andromeda nebula, beginning the observational path toward an expanding universe
First Radial Velocity of Andromeda
Measures the Doppler shift of M31 and finds a very large approach velocity, the first radial-velocity measurement made for a spiral nebula.
Sinope Added to Jupiter System
Finds Sinope, extending the known family of distant retrograde Jovian satellites.
Discovery of Pluto
Lowell Observatory captures faint images of Pluto, but the object is not recognised as the predicted planet.
Andromeda Novae Distance Argument
Uses the faintness of novae recorded in Andromeda to argue that M31 lies far beyond the Milky Way and is an independent stellar system.
Hubble Space Telescope
Hermann Oberth, along with Robert Goddard and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, one of the three fathers of modern rocketry, publish "Die Rakete zu den Planetenraumen" ("The Rocket into Planetary Space"), proposingg a telescope in space
Cepheid Variables
Hubble identifies Cepheid variables in Andromeda and shows it lies beyond the Milky Way
Andromeda V1 Plate
Photographs M31 with the 100-inch Hooker telescope and records the star later recognized as Cepheid variable V1 on the famous VAR photographic plate.
Einstein Tower Inauguration
The Einstein Tower begins operation as a solar observatory designed to test relativistic effects.
Galaxies
Hubble announces evidence that spiral nebulae are external galaxies, expanding the scale of cosmology
Cepheid Variables Confirmed in Andromeda
Identifies multiple Cepheid variables in M31 and uses their periods to demonstrate that Andromeda is far outside the Milky Way.
Galaxy Redshift
Humason begins measuring faint galaxy spectra that later strengthen Hubbles velocity distance relation
Discovery of Planet X
The search for Planet X resumes when the Lowell Observatory director, Vesto Melvin Slipher, summarily hands the job of locating Planet X to Clyde Tombaugh
Discovery of Pluto
Lowell Observatory director Vesto Melvin Slipher assigns Clyde Tombaugh the task of searching for Planet X.
Expanding Universe
Hubble publishes the velocity distance relation that makes expanding relativistic cosmology observationally compelling
Hubbles Law
Hubble publishes the velocity distance relation showing that galaxies recede faster at greater distances
Hubbles Law
Humason provides redshift measurements used by Hubble to support the velocity distance relation
Coronagraph
Develops the coronagraph to block direct sunlight inside a telescope.
Pluto
Venetia Burney's proposed name Pluto is forwarded to Lowell Observatory and becomes the preferred name for the newly discovered world.
Discovery of Pluto
News of Pluto's discovery is telegraphed from Lowell Observatory to the Harvard College Observatory.
Naming of Pluto
Oxford astronomer Herbert Hall Turner forwards Venetia Burney's proposed name Pluto to astronomers at Lowell Observatory.
Naming of Pluto
Lowell Observatory director Vesto Slipher announces Pluto as the proposed name for the newly discovered world.
Schmidt Telescopes
Together with colleague Walter Baade, Zwicky pioneered and promoted the use of the first Schmidt telescopes used in a mountain-top observatory in 1935
Cosmic Microwave Background
McKellar estimates a low interstellar temperature from cyanogen absorption, later recognised as related to the microwave background
Stellar Populations Resolved in Andromeda
Resolves different stellar populations in Andromeda and distinguishes young Population I stars from older Population II stars in galactic studies.
Hubble Space Telescope
The history of the Hubble Space Telescope can be traced back to 1946, when the astronomer Lyman Spitzer writes the paper "Astronomical advantages of an extraterrestrial observatory"
Discovery of Nereid
Kuiper discovers Nereid, Neptune's second known moon, using a ground-based telescope.
Radio Emission Detected from Andromeda
Reports radio-frequency emission from M31 with Cyril Hazard, opening a new wavelength regime for studying the Andromeda Galaxy.
Hubbles Law
Sandage begins revising extragalactic distances and expansion measurements after Hubbles work
Distance Scale
Baade distinguishes stellar populations and revises Cepheid distances used in estimates of cosmic expansion
Distance Scale
Baades corrections help make the cosmic expansion rate more realistic for Big Bang timescales
Rapid Rotation of Andromeda Nucleus
Detects rapid rotation in the compact nucleus of M31 with colleagues, evidence later understood in the context of a massive central black hole.
Hubble Space Telescope
In a report by the United States National Academy of Sciences recommends the development of a space telescope as part of the space program
Rotation of Galaxies
Begins a year-long collaboration with Geoffrey and Margaret Burbidge, during which made her first observations of the rotation of galaxies at the McDonald Observatory's
Quasars
Schmidt identifies the redshift of quasar 3C 273, opening new relativistic astrophysics questions
Arecibo Observatory
Arecibo opens as a powerful radar and radio astronomy facility.
Hubble Space Telescope
Spitzer is appointed as head of a committee given the task of defining the scientific objectives for a large space telescope
Jansky Lectureship
Gives the Jansky Lectureship before the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
Hubble Constant
Sandage continues refining the expansion rate, an essential parameter for Big Bang age estimates
Laser Ranging Retroreflector
Helps deploy the laser ranging retroreflector experiment on the lunar surface.
Cygnus X-1 Optical Counterpart
With Paul Murdin, identifies HDE 226868 as the optical counterpart of Cygnus X-1 and finds evidence for an unseen massive companion.
Cygnus X-1 Optical Counterpart
With Louise Webster, measures the binary motion of HDE 226868 and strengthens the case for a massive unseen companion in Cygnus X-1.
Anglo-Australian Telescope Board
Chairs the Anglo-Australian Telescope board during the telescope's inauguration period.
Binary Pulsar
Taylor studies the binary pulsar whose orbital decay later confirms energy loss by gravitational waves
Binary Pulsar
Hulse discovers a binary pulsar that provides an indirect test of gravitational wave emission
Binary Pulsar
Discovers the Hulse-Taylor binary pulsar, a strong-field test of relativistic gravity.
Binary Pulsar
Analyzes the binary pulsar whose orbital decay later confirms gravitational wave emission.
Nobel Prize
Combines radio telescopes & computers to enable mapping
Discovery of Leda
Discovers Leda, a small irregular moon of Jupiter.
Speckle Interferometry
Antoine Labeyrie builds the first two-telescope optical interferometer
Discovery of Themisto
With Elizabeth Roemer, discovers the Jovian moon later named Themisto before it is temporarily lost.
Charon
New photographs from the U.S. Naval Observatory confirm that the recurring elongation beside Pluto is caused by an orbiting satellite.
Discovery of Cruithne
Cruithne is discovered by Duncan Waldron on a photographic plate taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, Australia. Cruithne and Earth appear to "follow" each other in their paths around the Sun, this is why Cruithne is sometimes called "Earths second moon", however, it does not orbit the Earth and is not a moon
Kuiper Belt Survey
Luu joins the long-running telescope survey searching for previously unknown objects beyond Neptune.
Pluto Atmosphere
A stellar occultation observed from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory provides the first direct detection of an atmosphere around Pluto.
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) also known colloquially as "the Hubble" or just "Hubble", is a space telescope that is carried into orbit by the Space Shuttle Discovery, named for the American astronomer Edwin Hubble
Hubble Mirror Spherical Aberration
NASA identifies spherical aberration in Hubble's primary mirror, explaining the blurred appearance of the telescope's early images.
Supernova 1987A Ring Resolved
Hubble resolves a gaseous ring around Supernova 1987A in unprecedented detail during one of the observatory's earliest science investigations.
OGLE Project Founded
Begins the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment with Polish collaborators.
Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment
Creates a long-running survey for microlensing events and variable stars.
Discovery of Shoemaker-Levy 9
With Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker, discovers the fragmented comet later destined to strike Jupiter.
Hubble Servicing Mission 1 Launch
Covey commands Endeavour as the first Hubble servicing mission launches with a crew trained to repair and upgrade the telescope.
Hubble Orbit Boost
Bowersox pilots orbital maneuvers that raise Endeavour and Hubble into a higher orbit, extending the telescope's orbital lifetime.
Hubble Servicing Mission 2 Launch
Bowersox commands Discovery as the second Hubble servicing mission launches to install new instruments and maintain the observatory.
Hubble Captured for Second Servicing
Hawley operates Discovery's robotic arm to capture Hubble and secure the telescope for Servicing Mission 2.
STIS Installed on Hubble
Lee helps install the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, extending Hubble's ability to study spectra across a broad wavelength range.
Hubble Servicing Mission 2 Completed
Bowersox commands Discovery's return after Hubble is released as a more capable observatory following Servicing Mission 2.
Chandra Observes Andromeda Core
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory obtains a deep view of the M31 nucleus and surrounding X-ray sources, including emission near the central black hole position.
Hubble Servicing Mission 3A Launch
Brown commands Discovery as an urgent Hubble servicing mission launches after multiple gyroscope failures force the telescope into safe mode.
Hubble Rate Sensor Units Replaced
Smith helps replace all three Hubble Rate Sensor Units, restoring six gyroscopes used for accurate telescope pointing.
Hubble Advanced Computer Installed
Foale helps install a new Hubble computer approximately twenty times faster than the telescope's original flight computer.
Hubble Released After Servicing Mission 3A
Clervoy uses Discovery's robotic arm to release Hubble after repairs restore the observatory to science operations.
Varuna Size and Albedo
Jewitt and colleagues combine thermal and optical measurements to estimate the size and reflectivity of Kuiper Belt object Varuna.
Hubble Solar Arrays Completed
Newman helps complete installation of Hubble's new solar arrays, increasing the observatory's available electrical power.
Cosmic Transition from Deceleration
Riess uses very distant Type Ia supernovae to identify evidence that the universe once decelerated before dark energy became dominant and expansion began accelerating.
Dark Energy Detected in Young Universe
Riess uses distant Hubble supernovae to trace acceleration farther back in time and strengthen evidence that dark energy behaves approximately like a cosmological constant.
APOLLO Lunar Ranging
Reports first detections from the APOLLO lunar laser-ranging project.
Hubble Constant Narrows Dark Energy Models
Riess improves the Hubble constant measurement, reducing the range of dark-energy models allowed when local expansion data are combined with early-universe observations.
Hubble Servicing Mission 4 Launch
Altman commands Atlantis as the final Hubble servicing mission launches to repair and modernize the observatory.
Hubble Captured for Final Servicing
McArthur uses Atlantis's robotic arm to capture Hubble for the telescope's fifth and final astronaut servicing mission.
Hubble Battery Module Replaced
Good helps replace the first of Hubble's two battery modules, renewing the observatory's electrical storage system.
Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph Repaired
Massimino helps replace an electronics card and restore Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph to operation.
Spektr-R Launch
Sees the launch of the space radio observatory developed from his RadioAstron concept.
PHAT Andromeda Survey Released
The Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury releases a major resolved-star survey of M31 using ultraviolet, optical and near-infrared Hubble observations.
Rediscovery of S 2000 J11
Links new observations to the long-lost Jovian moon S 2000 J11, recovering its orbit.
OPAL Jupiter Monitoring Begins
Begins long-term Hubble monitoring of Jupiter through the Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy program.
Great Red Spot Smallest Measured Size
Hubble measurements show Jupiter's Great Red Spot has shrunk to its smallest size then recorded.
AstroSat
AstroSat launches during A. S. Kiran Kumar's chairmanship as India's first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory.
GW170817 Kilonova
Tanvir leads Hubble observations of the optical counterpart to the neutron-star merger GW170817, linking gravitational waves with a kilonova.
M87 Black Hole Imaging
Contributes imaging methods used by the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration to reconstruct the first black hole image from M87 data.
M87 Imaging Pipelines
Helps develop and validate independent imaging pipelines used to reconstruct the Event Horizon Telescope image of M87*.
Hubble Constant
Riess improves local Hubble constant measurements and highlights tension with early universe predictions
M87 Polarization Analysis
Contributes calibration and polarization analysis for the Event Horizon Telescope view of magnetic fields near M87*.
Sagittarius A Star Imaging
Contributes to Event Horizon Telescope imaging and interpretation of Sagittarius A* at event-horizon scales.
Webb Jupiter Auroras and Rings
Leads Webb observations revealing detailed auroras, hazes, rings and small satellites around Jupiter.
Hubble Constant
Riess uses new observations to continue testing the expansion rate of the Big Bang universe
Related astronomers
AryabhataProfile and database timelineBhaskara IIProfile and database timelineNicolaus CopernicusProfile and database timelineTycho BraheProfile and database timelineGalileo GalileiProfile and database timelineJohannes KeplerProfile and database timelineEdmond HalleyProfile and database timelineWilliam HerschelProfile and database timeline
Sources and editorial provenance
Compiled and edited by World History Database
Historical chronology compiled from the World History Database and checked against major scientific and historical reference sources.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
- Royal Museums Greenwich — History of astronomy
- Royal Museums Greenwich — History of the telescope
- NASA Science — Hubble timeline
- NASA Science — Exoplanet discovery history
- LIGO — GW150914 first gravitational-wave detection
- Event Horizon Telescope — first black-hole image
- NASA Webb — mission science and discoveries