Aerial photo of Cerro Paranal

This aerial photo of the Paranal mountain, the designated site for the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT), was obtained on 22 March 1994.

Paranal is situated in the driest part of the Chilean Atacama desert, approx. 130 km south of the city of Antofagasta, and about 12 km from the Pacific Ocean. In this view towards the West, the ocean is seen in the background. The altitude is 2650 metres.

The top of the mountain has been levelled to make place for the extensive VLT installations. ESO has constructed a road from the main road in the area (the "Old Panamericana'') to the summit. It passes by the ESO base camp (in the foreground, left of the road). The constructors' camp is located on the other side of the road.