Paranal Observatory hosts Microsoft President

A high-level Microsoft delegation, including the President of Microsoft, Brad Smith, visited ESO’s Paranal Observatory on Friday 24 May. The visit was hosted by a number of ESO staff, including the ESO Representative in Chile, Claudio Melo, and the Director of Paranal Observatory, Andreas Kaufer. The visit was an ideal opportunity for Microsoft and ESO to explore the possibility of further cooperation in research and innovation, in particular to address the challenges facing ground-based astronomy in the area of giant telescopes such as the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).

This image shows the Microsoft delegation and their hosts on Cerro Armazones, the site of the upcoming ELT.