1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,760 Reaching out 2 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,840 Stephane Guisard loves the stars. 3 00:00:11,890 --> 00:00:14,350 No wonder he loves northern Chile, too. 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,640 Here, the view of the Universe is amongst the best in the world. 5 00:00:21,180 --> 00:00:24,000 And no wonder he loves the European Southern Observatory 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,770 — Europe’s eye on the sky. 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,460 Stephane is a prize-winning French photographer and author. 8 00:00:33,310 --> 00:00:37,190 He is also one of ESO’s Photo Ambassadors. 9 00:00:41,990 --> 00:00:46,970 In breathtaking pictures, he captures the solitude of the Atacama desert, 10 00:00:46,970 --> 00:00:49,900 the high-tech perfection of giant telescopes, 11 00:00:49,900 --> 00:00:53,740 and the magnificence of the night sky. 12 00:01:01,730 --> 00:01:05,250 Like his fellow photo ambassadors from all over the world, 13 00:01:05,250 --> 00:01:08,730 Stephane helps in spreading ESO’s message. 14 00:01:10,450 --> 00:01:14,330 A message of curiosity, wonder and inspiration, 15 00:01:14,330 --> 00:01:17,840 proclaimed through cooperation and outreach. 16 00:01:21,010 --> 00:01:24,140 Cooperation has always been the basis of ESO’s success. 17 00:01:24,510 --> 00:01:25,510 Fifty years ago, 18 00:01:25,860 --> 00:01:27,350 the European Southern Observatory 19 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,110 started out with five founding member states: 20 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,360 Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. 21 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,190 Soon, other European countries followed. 22 00:01:37,510 --> 00:01:43,630 Denmark in 1967. Italy and Switzerland in 1982. Portugal in 2001. 23 00:01:43,630 --> 00:01:45,860 The United Kingdom in 2002. 24 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,950 Over the past decade, Finland, Spain, the Czech Republic and Austria 25 00:01:50,950 --> 00:01:54,580 also joined Europe’s largest astronomy organisation. 26 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,160 Most recently, Brazil became ESO’s 15th Member State, 27 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,160 and the first non-European country to join. 28 00:02:02,580 --> 00:02:04,390 Who knows what the future will bring? 29 00:02:05,410 --> 00:02:09,720 Together, the Member States enable the best possible astronomical science 30 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,740 at the world’s largest observatories. 31 00:02:18,170 --> 00:02:20,310 It’s good for their economies, too. 32 00:02:21,250 --> 00:02:25,740 ESO closely cooperates with industry, in both Europe and Chile. 33 00:02:36,660 --> 00:02:39,060 Access roads had to be constructed. 34 00:02:39,910 --> 00:02:41,820 Mountain tops had to be levelled. 35 00:02:43,310 --> 00:02:46,380 The Italian industrial consortium AES 36 00:02:46,380 --> 00:02:50,570 built the main structure of the four VLT telescopes. 37 00:02:50,570 --> 00:02:55,630 Each telescope weighs in at some 430 tonnes. 38 00:02:57,330 --> 00:03:03,170 They also constructed the giant enclosures, each as high as a ten-storey building. 39 00:03:05,950 --> 00:03:10,920 The German glass company Schott produced the delicate VLT mirrors 40 00:03:10,920 --> 00:03:15,370 — over eight metres wide and just twenty centimetres thick. 41 00:03:16,830 --> 00:03:18,290 At REOSC in France, 42 00:03:18,290 --> 00:03:23,030 the mirrors were polished to a precision of a millionth of a millimetre, 43 00:03:23,030 --> 00:03:26,280 before they made the long journey to Paranal. 44 00:03:31,470 --> 00:03:35,180 Meanwhile, universities and research institutes across Europe 45 00:03:35,180 --> 00:03:38,839 developed sensitive cameras and spectrometers. 46 00:03:40,839 --> 00:03:43,510 ESO’s telescopes are built with taxpayers' money. 47 00:03:43,510 --> 00:03:44,610 Your money. 48 00:03:45,010 --> 00:03:47,750 And so you can take part in the excitement. 49 00:03:48,270 --> 00:03:53,060 For example, ESO’s website is a rich source of astronomical information, 50 00:03:53,060 --> 00:03:56,660 including thousands of beautiful pictures and videos. 51 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,630 Also, ESO produces magazines, press releases, 52 00:04:02,630 --> 00:04:07,350 and video documentaries such as the one you’re watching right now. 53 00:04:09,570 --> 00:04:11,190 And throughout the world, 54 00:04:11,190 --> 00:04:17,010 the European Southern Observatory contributes to exhibitions and science fairs. 55 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:26,640 Countless ways to participate in the discovery of the cosmos! 56 00:04:28,780 --> 00:04:32,030 Did you know that the names of the four VLT telescopes 57 00:04:32,030 --> 00:04:34,460 were thought up by a young Chilean girl? 58 00:04:35,370 --> 00:04:37,680 17-year old Jorssy Albanez Castilla 59 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:42,800 suggested the names Antu, Kueyen, Melipal, and Yepun 60 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:49,160 – meaning Sun, Moon, Southern Cross and Venus in the Mapuche language. 61 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:54,440 Involving school children and students like Jorssy is important. 62 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,840 That’s where ESO’s educational activities come in, 63 00:04:59,010 --> 00:05:02,900 like student exercises and school lectures. 64 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,070 When the planet Venus passed in front of the Sun in 2004, 65 00:05:09,070 --> 00:05:13,630 a special programme was aimed at European students and teachers. 66 00:05:16,510 --> 00:05:21,040 And in 2009, during the International Year of Astronomy, 67 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:25,990 ESO reached millions of school children and students all over the world. 68 00:05:25,990 --> 00:05:30,440 After all, today’s children are tomorrow’s astronomers. 69 00:05:35,500 --> 00:05:40,090 But in terms of outreach, nothing beats the Universe itself. 70 00:05:47,450 --> 00:05:49,880 Astronomy is a visual science. 71 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:56,210 Images of galaxies, star clusters and stellar nurseries fire our imagination. 72 00:06:01,020 --> 00:06:02,440 When not doing science, 73 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:07,160 ESO's telescopes are sometimes used for the Cosmic Gems Programme 74 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:12,230 — taking pictures just for the purpose of education and public outreach. 75 00:06:20,230 --> 00:06:24,120 After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. 76 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:31,410 The general public can even take part in creating these staggering images, 77 00:06:31,410 --> 00:06:34,140 through the Hidden Treasures competitions. 78 00:06:37,380 --> 00:06:43,630 Russian astronomy enthusiast Igor Chekalin won the competition in 2010. 79 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:49,210 His marvellous images are based on real science data. 80 00:06:54,990 --> 00:06:57,760 Member states, industry and universities. 81 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,530 By cooperating on all possible levels, 82 00:07:00,530 --> 00:07:05,770 ESO has become one of the most successful astronomy organisations in the world. 83 00:07:06,430 --> 00:07:10,830 And through its engagement with the public, you are invited to join the adventure. 84 00:07:33,010 --> 00:07:36,250 The Universe is yours to discover.