The ESO Department of Communication is always searching for interesting, curious, or impactful studies, or stunning astronomical images, to highlight to the media and the public, be it through press releases or other communication products, such as ESO blog posts or pictures of the week. Papers are welcome that present new (not yet published) scientific results, as well as astronomical images, that are based on data from ESO telescopes and instruments, including those in which ESO is a partner or hosted at ESO observatories. 

Submissions of studies with a diverse author team with regards to gender, career stage, and country of affiliation are especially encouraged. Also encouraged are submissions of papers/observations with a first author/Principal Investigator based at a scientific institution in Chile or an ESO Member State not usually featured in ESO’s communications products.

Since the process of evaluating and preparing a press release (or an ESO blog post) can be lengthy, please send us your paper as soon as it has been submitted to a journal. ESO will then ask you a few questions about your research so that the various factors that influence the impact of a press release can be properly evaluated.

While only a few pitches are successful, the reward is high: if your science does make it into a press release, blog post or picture of the week, it will reach a broad community of people around the world.