Paranal from Cerro Ventarrones

The ELT programme office has studied half a dozen potential sites for the future ELT observatory. Various aspects need to be considered in the site selection process. Parameters taken into account are not restricted to 'sky quality', but include more general scientific aspects, as well as parameters essential for construction and operations (e.g. accessibility, water and power supply, political stability etc.).

The above picture shows some of the domes of the Very Large Telescope flagship observatory on top of Cerro Paranal, in the Chilean Atacama Desert, as seen from Cerro Ventarones. Ventarones was on the ELT Site Selection Advisory Committee's final short list for the recommended site.