Construction at Paranal Observatory

Work is proceeding on the top of the Paranal mountain to prepare the foundations for the smaller, moveable telescopes that will form part of the VLT Interferometer (VLTI). When ready some years from now, the VLTI will produce optical/infrared images of unsurpassed angular resolution. In this view, the cirrus clouds seen behind the telescope enclosures are located at some distance over the Pacific Ocean. (Photo obtained on December 14, 1997).