KPNO 2.1-meter Telescope

The Kitt Peak National Observatory is located on Kitt Peak of the Quinlan Mountains in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert on the Tohono O'odham Nation. With over twenty optical and two radio telescopes, it is one of the largest gatherings of astronomical instruments in the northern hemisphere.

The Observatory’s 2.1-Meter Telescope was one of the earliest Kitt Peak telescopes and is used for both imaging and spectroscopy. It is paired with the Coudé Tower, which enables spectroscopic work to be performed independently of the main telescope, effectively making the 2.1-meter telescope a dual observing facility. 

For scientists: More details can be found on the basic parameters page.

KPNO 2.1-meter Telescope

Name(s) KPNO 2.1-meter Telescope
Status Operational
Broad Science Goals Imaging and spectroscopy
Site Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona, USA
Location Coordinates 111º 35’ 53.8’S
31º 57’ 29.4’E
Altitude  
Enclosure  
Type  
Optical Design Ritchey-Chretien
Field of View  
Diameter: Primary M1 2124 mm
Material: Primary M1 Pyrex coated with reflective aluminum 
Diameter: Secondary M2 654 mm
Material: Secondary M2
Mount equatorial fork
First Light Date 1964
Adaptive Optics  

Please help us to complete this page by emailing information and corrections to info@noirlab.edu.

Updated on May 27, 2021, 6:21 am