Reaching for Jupiter under The Milky Way | Paranal Observatory in Chile | ESO

Reaching for Jupiter under The Milky Way | Paranal Observatory in Chile | ESO

The dark skies above the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory, home to the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), yield breathtaking views so clear and so full of stars that you could almost touch them. Standing atop a platform at VLT, ESO Photo Ambassador Petr Horálek reaches towards a standout object in the sky. You may assume this bright body, like many others in the sky, to be a star, but it is in fact a planet in our Solar System—the gas giant Jupiter.

Closer to Earth, the four Unit Telescopes (UTs) that comprise the VLT can be seen in the background. Each UT features an 8.2-meter mirror and they operate synergistically to produce some of the sharpest views of the Universe. Accompanying the four UTs are four smaller, moveable Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs) that have 1.8-meter mirrors. 

The Chilean Atacama desert once again proves its value as the ideal location for ESO’s VLT. The remoteness of the observatory means that there is very little to no light pollution. This is vital for astronomy and also yields such breathtaking views.

Learn more about ESO’s Paranal Observatory
https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)/P. Horálek
Release Date: June 14, 2021

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