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14. juni 2018: ESO is proud to announce the release of Europe to the Stars, a brand new open-source planetarium show that tells the story of ESO’s exploration of the southern sky. This stunning movie takes viewers on an epic journey behind the scenes of the most productive ground-based observatory in the world. Europe to the Stars will be part of the programme at the ESO Supernova from Friday 22 June and is available to download for free from the ESO website. ESO’s latest planetarium movie Europe to the Stars is now available to download for free in fulldome format. Expressing cosmic curiosity, courage and perseverance, Europe to the Stars captures the story of ESO’s epic adventure — the story of discovering a Universe of deep mysteries and hidden secrets, and the story of designing, building and operating the most powerful ground-based telescopes on the planet. The film takes viewers on a journey ...

12. juni 2018: On 31 May 2018, ESO received the Friend of Marca España award in Santiago, Chile. The award ceremony took place at the annual dinner organised by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Chile, and the prizes were awarded by Marca España, a government agency devoted to promoting Spain’s international image. The Friends of Marca España prizes are awarded annually to individuals and organisations that have been singled out for reinforcing the cooperation between Spain and the country where the award ceremony takes place. In 2018, on the occasion of the Friends of Marca España awards in Chile, ESO has been distinguished for its continued efforts to further strengthen and nurture collaboration between European and Chilean astronomy. The award was collected by Fernando Comerón, former ESO Representative in Chile, on behalf of ESO. In his acceptance speech Comerón remarked that “The distinction acknowledges the collective task of a European organisation that ...

12. juni 2018: The ESO Annual Report 2017 is now available. It presents a summary of ESO’s many activities throughout the year. The contents include: Research highlights from ESO facilities, involving the first detections and discoveries of exotic astronomical objects, and the latest results covering aspects of astronomy ranging from the Sun to planets around other stars and high-redshift galaxies. A summary of the activities at ESO’s observatories in Chile. The latest news from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) projects. News about ESO staff (including the International Staff Association and Local Staff Representatives), new diversity initiatives and ESO buildings — including the ALMA Residencia and the recently opened ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre. This product is available to download for free and is available to buy in the ESOshop.

11. juni 2018: To enhance its programme of scientific cooperation with its host country, ESO provides and manages an annual fund devoted to the development of disciplines related to astronomy and technology in Chile. The board, which consists of representatives of ESO and the Chilean Government (working through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), evaluates and selects the programmes to be supported by this fund. These fall into five areas: ESO grant funding to postdoctoral programmes in astronomy at Chilean academic institutions. Funding for academic faculty positions for periods of up to two years at Chilean academic institutions. Funding to support the development and presentation of educational programmes for the teaching and dissemination of astronomy in Chile. Funding to support development programmes and the construction of technological systems for astronomy. Funding to support the development of astronomy in areas not covered by the above four categories. The Joint Committee of ESO and the Government ...

11. juni 2018: From 18–23 June 2018, scientists, engineers, diplomats, and government officials from around the world will gather at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in Vienna for UNISPACE+50. This major event celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the first UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and aims to lay the foundation for the Space 2030 agenda — a framework for global cooperation in space science and exploration for the benefit of humankind. UNISPACE+50 also marks the start of a special “high level segment” of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). Both UNISPACE+50 and the UN COPUOS are organised by the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs. Recognising that astronomy has played and will continue to play a foundational role in space exploration — from the rich cultural heritage tied to observing the heavens, to the development of critical skills, technologies and scientific knowledge ...

6. juni 2018: On 6 June 2018, at its meeting in Garching, Germany, ESO’s governing body, the Council, unanimously approved the accession of Ireland into ESO. The ESO Director General, Xavier Barcons, now has the green light to proceed to sign the Accession Agreement with representatives of the Irish government, which is expected later in the year. Once Dáil Éireann (the Irish Parliament) ratifies the Accession Agreement Ireland will become ESO’s 16th Member State. Ireland has a long tradition in astronomy and a vibrant research community, which has supported ESO membership for many years. For several decades in the nineteenth century, Ireland hosted the world’s largest telescope — the Leviathan of Parsonstown — a 1.8-metre reflecting telescope at Birr Castle. The grounds of Birr Castle are now home to I-LOFAR, the Irish link to a Europe wide low-frequency radio telescope. Around 200 researchers currently work in major astronomy and astrophysics disciplines, in nine ...

6. juni 2018: ESO astronomer Claudio Melo has become ESO’s new Representative in Chile. He replaces Fernando Comerón, who has been ESO Representative since 2013. Claudio explains how he views his new role: “I am thrilled to use the wonders of the Universe and the educational potential of astronomy to inspire young people across the world and especially in Chile. Along with the ESO staff, I aim to continue Fernando’s successful work and nurture the already very good relations with government officials as well as the vibrant scientific community in Chile and beyond.” Melo originally comes from Natal, Brazil where he obtained his BSc and MSc in physics and astrophysics respectively at the UFRN (Natal) working with Jose De Medeiros. He then went on to complete a PhD from 1996-2001 at Geneva Observatory (Geneva University), Switzerland where he studied young stars under the supervision of Michel Mayor. Melo joined ESO in 2002 as ...

4. juni 2018: Prizes have been presented to the winners of the 2018 Photo NightScape Awards at a ceremony at the NightScapades festival, the first international festival of astrophotography to be held in France. ESO is a partner in the Photo NightScape competition, which is organised by the non-profit organisation Chasseurs de Nuits. The winning entries, which were announced on 2 May, were chosen from almost 400 captivating astronomical timelapses and photographs. Entries were submitted to the jury across four categories — Nightscape, In Town, Timelapse and Junior, with first and second place prizes awarded in each category. The first prize in the Nightscape category, which was open to all images captured between sunset and sunrise, went to Stefan Liebermann from Germany. He submitted a beautiful image of the Milky Way arching over the dead trees and desert landscape of the Namibian Deadvlei clay pan. His prize is a Nikon D7500 camera, a ...

25. maj 2018: ESO’s Very Large Telescope, the flagship facility for European ground-based astronomy, celebrates its 20th anniversary today. The first of the VLT’s Unit Telescopes saw first light on 25 May 1998, ushering in a new era of astronomy. Over the following years three more 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes were completed and these giants were joined by the four smaller Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs) that form part of the VLT Interferometer. The interferometer first combined the light from two ATs in 2005, creating a virtual telescope up to 200 metres in diameter that now regularly observes the surfaces of stars. The VLT could not function without its world-class suite of instruments, which have been developed in collaboration with astronomers and engineers in the ESO community. A spectacular recent addition to the VLT is the 4 Laser Guide Star Facility, which projects four 22-watt laser beams into the upper atmosphere to create artificial stars that ...

17. maj 2018: From 17 May to 2 September 2018, the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre will display it’s first temporary exhibition — Our Place in Space. This small free-of-charge showcase of art and science is inspired by the spectacular images of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and encourages visitors to consider where humanity fits into the grand scheme of the Universe. Works from eleven Italian artists are presented to provide a unique view of the Universe and our place within it. For more than 28 years, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has been expanding our cosmic horizons. It is one of the most ambitious and successful astronomy missions ever flown in space and is a great example of a successful international partnership. Not only has this magnificent telescope revealed and shared the beauty, wonder, and complexity of the Universe, but it has also brought astronomy to the public eye, greatly impacting ...

17. maj 2018: In April 2018, a team composed of scientists and engineers from the Geneva Observatory and ESO were at the La Silla Observatory to commission HELIOS (HARPS Experiment for Light Integrated Over the Sun) [1]. This novel device was built under an agreement between ESO, the University of Geneva and the Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto [2]. HELIOS is a solar telescope feeding the HARPS (High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher) instrument, which is attached to the ESO 3.6-metre telescope. HARPS is one of the most powerful planet hunters in existence and spends most nights monitoring stars for minute signals that indicate the presence of an exoplanet. HARPS has unparalleled accuracy and is regularly generating results that will present fresh challenges for future telescopes such as ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope. HELIOS will be able to feed sunlight into HARPS to achieve very high precision spectroscopy of the Sun for ...

11. maj 2018: The cutting-edge ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre provides unforgettable learning experiences for students of all ages. Engaging workshops, tours and two new educational planetarium shows all capture the night sky’s incredible ability to inspire a love for science in young people. All educational activities are available free of charge. Open to the public since 28 April 2018, the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre offers a wide range of captivating shows, workshops and events. The ESO Supernova educational programme has been designed to be adaptable to students aged 4–18, and includes a range of interactive workshops and tours, as well as access to our cutting-edge astronomy exhibition. Furthermore, two presenter-led planetarium shows — The Skies Above Us and A Tour of the Solar System — have recently joined the exciting educational program on offer at the ESO Supernova. The Skies Above Us is an interactive planetarium show that has ...

7. maj 2018: The digging of the foundations for the dome and telescope structure of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) has begun on Cerro Armazones — at an altitude of over 3000 metres in Chile's Atacama Desert. The work is being carried out by the ACe Consortium, consisting of Astaldi and Cimolai. These dramatic pictures were taken to mark this event by ESO photo ambassador Gerhard Hüdepohl, who used a drone to gaze down on Cerro Armazones. Dubbed ELT, this revolutionary new ground-based telescope concept will have a 39-metre main mirror and will be the largest optical/near-infrared telescope in the world: “the world’s biggest eye on the sky”. Construction is targeted for completion in time for first light in 2024. Working at such a high altitude is not easy, but the rewards will be great; this site is high, dry, and removed from light pollution. It will provide truly excellent seeing conditions, allowing ...

7. maj 2018: Most supernovae occur at the end of a massive star’s life, when their dramatic destruction is marked by a catastrophic final explosion. However, to celebrate the start of the life of the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre, ESO Music Ambassador Stan Dart has created a soundtrack for one of the ESO Supernova’s planetarium shows.Stan Dart’s chilled ambient composition also features as the soundtrack to ESOcast light 159, which explores the fascinating subject of supernovae, and their role in creating new star systems, planets, and even life. You can subscribe to the ESOcasts on iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo, and many other ESOcast episodes are also available online. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles to the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube.

3. maj 2018: ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, has reached an important milestone with the publication of the 1000th peer-reviewed paper using ALMA data. The paper was Spatial variations in Titan's atmospheric temperature: ALMA and Cassini comparisons from 2012 to 2015 by Alexander E. Thelen et al. — which presents a detailed investigation of the atmospheric temperature of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. The data behind the work of Thelen et al. was originally taken to help calibrate the telescope and have been available since 2013. ALMA data is archived online, meaning many discoveries by different researchers can be made from a single observational programme, or from data taken for an entirely different purpose, as is the case here. The full range of papers presenting observations and discoveries using ALMA data is also available online from the ESO telbib database [1]. The ALMA bibliography is jointly maintained by the librarians at ESO and ...

19. april 2018: ESO has signed a contract with VDL ETG Projects B.V. (the Netherlands) for the manufacture, assembly, testing and delivery of the Segment Support Mechanics for the primary mirror of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). The segment supports together act as the backbone of the primary mirror, holding each of the 798 mirror segments in place. Sensors and actuators monitor and control each segment’s shape and position to very high accuracy. The contract was signed by Harrie Schonewille, Managing Director of VDL ETG Projects, Willem van der Leegte, President VDL and Xavier Barcons, Director General of ESO, at a ceremony at ESO Headquarters in Garching, Germany on 19 April 2018. When completed, the ELT’s primary mirror (M1) will be 39 metres in diameter and will consist of 798 hexagonal mirror segments. The hexagonal shape means that a common support structure can be used for all segments. Each segment will be connected ...

18. april 2018: On 28 April 2018, the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre will open its doors to the public. The inauguration of the centre will be celebrated with a series of events dedicated to its community of partners, supporters, neighbours and friends. In its first quarter, the centre has prepared a starry line-up of activities for its visitors. On 26 April we will host a press conference at the ESO Supernova, where media representatives will have the opportunity to learn more about the new planetarium and visitor centre, interview representatives from the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the Klaus Tschira Stiftung (KTS) and the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) and participate in an exhibition tour and planetarium show. On the evening of the same day, an event will bring together the founders of the ESO Supernova, the extended team of architects, exhibition designers and project managers, as well as representatives from ...

10. april 2018: On 27 April 2018, ESO is inviting all digital enthusiasts to meet the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre, a new cutting-edge astronomy centre for the public that will open its doors the next day. The Meet #ESOSupernova event is aimed at keen social media users, passionate bloggers and other digital content creators from both the local community (Munich, Bavaria and Germany) and the European and international community. The event is organised in Garching, near Munich in Germany, at the Headquarters of the European Southern Observatory, where the ESO Supernova is also located. The planned language of the event is German, but depending on the participants attending, English may also be used. From 09:00 until 13:00, event participants will have the chance to enjoy an immersive experience at the ESO Supernova. A special exhibition tour will give participants the opportunity to test our exhibits. They will also become familiarised with ...

5. april 2018: Over the past months, the ESO Supernova team has been preparing the programme for the new Planetarium & Visitor Centre, due to open to the public on 28 April 2018. We are delighted to announce that a printed version of the programme is now available, in addition to the online version which can be used to book activities directly. The programme contains information about the range of planetarium shows, guided tours and educational workshops offered by the ESO Supernova. It also features special public events such as science talks, concerts and much more. For more information, see the press release about the online version of the programme. The printed programme will be distributed to various tourism outlets, hotels and other partners, to ensure that our incredible Planetarium & Visitor Centre reaches as broad an audience as possible. It will also be available in the ESO Supernova itself and can be ...

3. april 2018: The latest issue of the free magazine Science in School is now available online and in print. This European journal for science teachers offers up-to-date information on cutting-edge science, teaching materials and projects in science education, interviews with inspiring scientists and teachers, reviews of books and other resources, and many other useful resources for science teachers. It aims to promote science teaching by encouraging communication between teachers, scientists and everyone else involved in European science education. Some of the highlights of this issue include: an interview with ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer; an article about the iron-eating bacteria on the wreck of the Titanic; and 10 things you might not know about fracking. Teaching activities include: colourful redox reactions using lollipops; and a set of challenges involving bouncing and falling objects to investigate simple physics principles. Science in School is published by EIROforum, a collaboration between eight European intergovernmental scientific research ...