 The Great Telescope, installed, from the ocular lens end | |
| Location(s) | France |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 48°52′N 2°17′E / 48.86°N 2.29°E |
| Telescope style | optical telescope destroyed building or structure  |
| Focal length | 57 m (187 ft 0 in) |
  Location of Great Paris Exhibition Telescope of 1900 | |
 Related media on Commons | |
The Great Paris Exhibition Telescope of 1900, with an objective lens of 1.25 m (49 in) in diameter, was the largest refracting telescope ever constructed. It was built as the centerpiece of the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900. Its construction was instigated in 1892 by François Deloncle (1856–1922), a member of the French Chambre des Députés. Since it was built for exhibit purposes within a large metropolis, and its design made it difficult to aim at astronomical objects, it was not suited for scientific use. When the year-long exposition was over, its builders were unable to sell it. It was ultimately broken up for scrap; the lenses are still stored away at the Paris Observatory.