United Kingdom Infrared Telescope

E105301

astronomical observatory infrared telescope reflecting telescope

The United Kingdom Infrared Telescope is a large infrared-optimized astronomical telescope located on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, used primarily for deep-sky and infrared observations.

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All labels observed (3)

Label	Occurrences
United Kingdom Infrared Telescope canonical	4
UKIRT	3
Joint Astronomy Centre	2

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T796341 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: United Kingdom Infrared Telescope
Context triple: [Mauna Kea, hasObservatory, United Kingdom Infrared Telescope]

A. James Clerk Maxwell Telescope
The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is a large submillimetre-wavelength radio telescope used for astronomical observations, located near the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
B. Gemini South Observatory
Gemini South Observatory is a major 8.1-meter optical and infrared telescope facility located on Cerro Pachón in Chile, forming the southern half of the international Gemini Observatory.
C. Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope
The Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope is a 3.6-meter optical and infrared telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, operated collaboratively by Canada, France, and the University of Hawaii for astronomical research.
D. NASA Infrared Telescope Facility
The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility is a 3-meter telescope dedicated primarily to infrared astronomy and planetary science observations, operated by NASA and located on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
E. Gemini North Observatory
Gemini North Observatory is a premier 8.1-meter optical/infrared telescope facility located on Maunakea in Hawaii, forming one half of the international Gemini Observatory.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: United Kingdom Infrared Telescope
Target entity description: The United Kingdom Infrared Telescope is a large infrared-optimized astronomical telescope located on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, used primarily for deep-sky and infrared observations.

A. James Clerk Maxwell Telescope
The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is a large submillimetre-wavelength radio telescope used for astronomical observations, located near the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
B. Gemini South Observatory
Gemini South Observatory is a major 8.1-meter optical and infrared telescope facility located on Cerro Pachón in Chile, forming the southern half of the international Gemini Observatory.
C. Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope
The Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope is a 3.6-meter optical and infrared telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, operated collaboratively by Canada, France, and the University of Hawaii for astronomical research.
D. NASA Infrared Telescope Facility
The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility is a 3-meter telescope dedicated primarily to infrared astronomy and planetary science observations, operated by NASA and located on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
E. Gemini North Observatory
Gemini North Observatory is a premier 8.1-meter optical/infrared telescope facility located on Maunakea in Hawaii, forming one half of the international Gemini Observatory.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	astronomical observatory ⓘ infrared telescope ⓘ reflecting telescope ⓘ
abbreviation	UKIRT ⓘ linked to: United Kingdom Infrared Telescope
altitude	approximately 13,800 feet ⓘ approximately 4200 metres ⓘ
commissioned	1979 ⓘ
constructionStart	1974 ⓘ
continent	North America ⓘ
country	United Kingdom ⓘ
designedFor	high angular resolution imaging ⓘ high-sensitivity infrared observations ⓘ
firstLight	1979 ⓘ
formerOperator	Joint Astronomy Centre ⓘ linked to: United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Science and Technology Facilities Council ⓘ
fundedBy	Science and Technology Facilities Council ⓘ United Kingdom Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council ⓘ linked to: Science and Technology Facilities Council United Kingdom Science and Engineering Research Council ⓘ linked to: Science and Technology Facilities Council
hasCoordinateSystem	equatorial coordinates ⓘ
hasObservationSite	Mauna Kea Observatories complex ⓘ linked to: Mauna Kea Observatories
hemisphere	Northern Hemisphere ⓘ
locatedOn	summit of Mauna Kea ⓘ
location	Hawaii ⓘ linked to: Hawaiʻi (island) Mauna Kea ⓘ United States ⓘ linked to: United States of America
mirrorMaterial	Zerodur ⓘ
mountType	equatorial mount ⓘ
notableFor	deep infrared imaging ⓘ infrared sky surveys ⓘ studies of galaxies ⓘ studies of star formation ⓘ studies of the interstellar medium ⓘ
operatedBy	United Kingdom ⓘ
optimizedFor	deep-sky observations ⓘ infrared astronomy ⓘ
partOf	Mauna Kea Observatories ⓘ
primaryMirrorDiameter	150 inches ⓘ 3.8 metres ⓘ
scientificDiscipline	astronomy ⓘ astrophysics ⓘ
telescopeApertureClass	3–4 metre class telescope ⓘ
telescopeType	Cassegrain telescope ⓘ
usedFor	astronomical research ⓘ deep-sky observations ⓘ imaging ⓘ infrared sky surveys ⓘ spectroscopy ⓘ
wavelengthRange	infrared ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (9)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Mauna Kea → hasObservatory → United Kingdom Infrared Telescope ⓘ

Mauna Kea Science Reserve → contains → United Kingdom Infrared Telescope ⓘ

James Clerk Maxwell Telescope → formerOperator → Joint Astronomy Centre ⓘ