A different type of dome at Paranal

ESO's Paranal Residencia provides a relaxing environment for the astronomers and support staff working at ESO's Paranal Observatory in the Chilean Atacama Desert.

Above its swimming pool and indoor garden, the Residencia boasts a 35-metre-diameter dome in the ceiling — which can be seen casting a spectacular set of shadows on the floor of the Residencia's central hall in this photograph.

At the centre of the dome, an umbrella-shaped blackout curtain automatically opens at sunset, to avoid any escape of artificial light, potentially dangerous for astronomical observations performed at the nearby Paranal Observatory. The curtain closes automatically at sunrise and remains folded during the day.