Because we are far past the point where larger refractors - telescopes using lenses instead of mirrors - can be made. The biggest refractor on earth is the 40-inch at Yerkes Observatory in southern Wisconsin. read more
There are a few reasons why reflecting (mirror) telescopes are superior to refracting (lens) telescopes: It is easier and cheaper to produce a large mirror than a large lens. Mirrors can be arbitrarily thin, whereas a lens must be a minimum thickness to bend light appropriately. read more