Do smaller telescopes get displaced by bigger ones after they are built?

No. There is such a large number of research projects available that few telescopes are ever voluntarily retired from service. What does happen is that there is a constant migration of research projects in some areas from one large telescope to the next one built, such as searches for the most distant, young galaxy and for planets orbiting nearby stars. But there are many more research programs that can still be carried out on the smaller telescopes too.


Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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