A group photo with a finalised M1 mirror segment

The team responsible for coating and integration of the first finalised M1 mirror segment of the ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) pose for a photo at Paranal Observatory. This talented bunch includes ESO engineers wearing blue lab coats from both Chile, where Paranal Observatory is located, and Garching, where ESO’s headquarters are based. In white coats are trainees from the ‘Tu Oportunidad’ programme, a UN Women and ESO second-chance education programme, who were present for part of the process as part of their training in technical astronomical skills. In this picture, we see the back of the fully integrated segment as the coated surface was protected.