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A Martian-esque Landscape

As dusk descends on ESO’s Paranal Observatory, the four Unit Telescopes that comprise the Very Large Telescope (VLT) shine brightly, taking in the last rays of sunlight as they prepare for the night of work ahead. Each of the angular domes sitting to the left of the plateau in this image contains a large telescope with an 8.2 metres mirror. There are also four smaller Auxiliary Telescopes at 1.8 metres diameter, visible as small domes — these can be moved along the system of gridlines marked on the floor. Paranal is nestled 2635 metres above sea level in a remote part of Chile’s Atacama Desert — and it looks even more Martian than usual in this soft, golden, eerie evening glow. 

Credit:

ESO/Gerhard Hüdepohl (atacamaphoto.com)

About the Image

Id:vlt-panorama
Type:Photographic
Release date:25 January 2021, 06:00
Size:8089 x 2344 px

About the Object

Name:Very Large Telescope
Type:Unspecified : Technology : Observatory
Category:Paranal

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