Annonces

15 janvier 2016: A unique outreach campaign has been launched that will allow the general public to follow scientists from around the globe as they search for an Earth-like exoplanet around the closest star to us, Proxima Centauri. The observing campaign will run from January to April 2016 and will be accompanied by blog posts and social media updates. No one knows what the outcome will be. In the months following the observations, the scientists will analyse the data and submit the results to a peer-reviewed journal. At a distance of just 4.2 light-years from the Sun, and located in the constellation of Centaurus, Proxima Centauri is the closest known star to the Sun. Previous observations have provided tantalising, but weak hints of a small companion orbiting this red dwarf star, but this new campaign will make a more sensitive search for the telltale wobbles in the dwarf star’s orbital motion that might ...

7 janvier 2016: The Royal Observatory Greenwich, in association with Insight Investment and BBC Sky at Night Magazine, has announced the dates for the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2016 competition — its annual global search for the most beautiful and spectacular visions of the cosmos, whether they are striking pictures of vast galaxies, millions of light-years away, or dramatic images of the night sky much closer to home. Now in its eighth year, the hugely popular competition will open to entrants on Monday 29 February and sees an increase in prize money for all the winners, with the overall prize winner taking home £10 000. Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2016 has nine main categories: Skyscapes: Landscape and cityscape images of twilight and the night sky featuring the Milky Way, star trails, meteor showers, comets, conjunctions, constellation rises, halos and noctilucent clouds alongside elements of earthly scenery. Aurorae: Photographs featuring ...

18 décembre 2015: ESO and the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) have signed a cooperation agreement, providing a framework for future close cooperation and the exchange of information. The agreement addresses many areas, including scientific research, technology, and education and public outreach activities. There is a considerable overlap of interests between ESO, the world’s most productive ground-based observatory, and CERN, one of the largest centres for particle physics research in the world. The new agreement will promote the strategic coordination of the two organisations’ long-term plans as well as the coordination of scientific and training programmes. The agreement encourages the coordination of services, tools and resources, in addition to the sharing of best practices in many areas. The organisation of joint seminars and workshops is another area of proposed coordination, along with possible exchange of staff. Specific areas of possible technology coordination include those pertaining to astroparticle physics, and to particle physics ...

18 décembre 2015: A trilateral agreement between ESO, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), concerning the operation of ALMA was signed in Tokyo, Japan, on 15 December 2015. The contributions of the three international partners ensure the continued success of this transformational (sub-)millimetre observatory located on Chajnantor Plateau in northern Chile. The new agreement provides the framework for the long-term operations of ALMA over the next 20 years Tim de Zeeuw, ESO Director General, Katsuhiko Sato, NINS President, and F. Fleming Crim, NSF Assistant Director (on behalf of France Córdova, NSF Director), represented the three partners at the ceremony and signed the ALMA Trilateral Agreement. Other staff members from ESO, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and NSF were also in attendance. The construction and first observations from ALMA were undertaken based on agreements signed in 2003 and 2004. The inauguration ceremony, held in 2013 ...

18 décembre 2015: The latest edition of ESO's quarterly journal, The Messenger, is now available online. Find out the latest news from ESO on topics ranging from new instruments to the latest science discoveries. Highlights of this edition include articles on: The Scientific Return of VLT Programmes The First Component of the Adaptive Optics Facility Enters Operations: The Laser Traffic Control System on Paranal The European ALMA Regional Centre Network: A Geographically Distributed User Support Model The Central Orion Nebula (M42) as Seen by MUSE Revealing the Complex Dynamics of the Atmospheres of Red Supergiants with the Very Large Telescope Interferometer Download The Messenger in PDF format or visit The Messenger website to subscribe and receive a free printed copy. This product is available for sale in the ESOshop. Deliveries will commence from 11 January 2016.

16 décembre 2015: Space Scoop, an astronomy news service for children aged eight and above, invites you to explore a brand-new website and share its exciting astronomical content with your children during their Christmas break. Space Scoop is coordinated by the international Universe Awareness (EU-UNAWE) and Space Awareness (SPACE-AWE) projects in association with several partners, including ESO and ESA/Hubble. Every Space Scoops article provides news about the latest astronomical discoveries in child-friendly language and is accompanied by a stunning astronomical image. The goal is to feed children’s curiosity about the Universe, to share the excitement of new discoveries with them and to inspire children to develop an interest in science and a passion for learning. The project aims to change young children’s frequent perception that science is an outdated and dull subject. As such, the brand-new Space Scoop website features a vibrant, eye-catching visual design along with fun graphics, images and icons tailored ...

10 décembre 2015: On 8 December 2015, Ireland’s intention to negotiate ESO Membership was laid out by Enda Kenny, the Prime Minister of Ireland, as he launched Innovation 2020, a five-year strategy for research and development, science and technology. Innovation 2020 sets out a strategy for Ireland to become a global innovation leader, with a strong, sustainable economy and a better society. The document states Ireland’s intention to “explore membership options for CERN, the European organisation for high-energy physics, and the European Southern Observatory”. Ireland’s Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will now enter into discussions with ESO and explore possible membership options for the country. Whilst these actions do not constitute a definite commitment to apply for ESO Membership, they represent an important first step in that direction, and ESO looks forward to the commencement of these discussions. Paul Callanan, University College Cork, Ireland, explains the significance of this move: "We are ...

10 décembre 2015: Un accord a été signé entre l’ESO et un consortium d'instituts européens [1] pour concevoir et construire le système d’optique adaptative MAORY qui sera utilisé à l’E-ELT, le Télescope géant européen. L’accord a été signé entre Nicolò D'Amico, président de l’Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF, Italie), au nom du consortium, et Tim de Zeeuw, directeur général de l’ESO, au cours d’une cérémonie qui s’est tenue le 10 décembre 2015 au siège de l’ESO à Garching bei München (Allemagne). Le chercheur responsable de MAORY, Emiliano Diolaiti (INAF), était également présent. Renato Cianfarani, consul général d’Italie, ainsi que Roberto Tamai, responsable du programme E-ELT à l’ESO, ont aussi assisté à la cérémonie. Ont également participé Paolo Ciliegi (chef de projet MAORY à l’INAF), Philippe Feautrier (chercheur co-responsable de MAORY à l’IPAG), Filippo Zerbi (chef de la Division nationale des programmes au sol à la Direction scientifique de l’INAF), ainsi que Giovanni Fabrizio ...

8 décembre 2015: Not a single confirmed planet outside the Solar System had been detected before the year 1990. But, remarkably, we now know of thousands and have studied many in surprising detail. This ESOcast takes a look at how ESO’s observatories in Chile have been at the forefront of this enormous expansion in knowledge, and how their state-of-the-art instruments are continuing to discover and study the extraordinary diversity of exoplanets. You can subscribe to the ESOcasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other ESOcast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles to the ESOcast in multiple languages Credits ESO Editing: Herbert Zodet. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Rebecca Davies, Richard Hook and Herbert Zodet.Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa. Music: STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com). Footage and photos: ESO, L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser, B. Tafreshi (twanight.org), ...

1 décembre 2015: The De Zeeuw–Van Dishoeck Graduation Prize for Astronomy, established to encourage young talent in astronomy in the Netherlands, has been awarded to Sebastiaan Haffert of the University of Leiden. The award was presented at a ceremony in Haarlem on 30 November 2015. The award, which consists of a certificate and a cash prize of 3000 euros, is awarded annually to the best master’s thesis in the field of astronomy written by a student studying at a Dutch university. Sebastiaan received the prize for the development of an innovative sensor that can provide better views of stars and planets outside the Solar System. "In astronomy a lot of prizes are won for finding planets or certain types of galaxies. I won this prize for developing an instrument. That does not happen often!" remarks Sebastiaan. “Instrument development drives new discoveries — it is just as important for our field as the actual ...

30 novembre 2015: The latest issue of the free magazine, Science in School, is now available online and in printed form. This European journal for science teachers offers inspiring articles, fun games and hands-on activities for schools in every issue. It aims to promote science teaching by encouraging communication between teachers, scientists and everyone else involved in European science education. Some of the highlights of this issue include: a look at some of the physiological and sociological benefits of laughter; understanding how Earth’s climate can teach us about other planets; and a safari through your mouth's microbial jungle. Teaching activities include: a practical lesson demonstrating the hazards of plastic waste in our oceans; an activity to understand forces through the design and construction of a glider wing; and a way to build a digital microscope. Science in School is published by EIROforum, a collaboration between eight European intergovernmental scientific research organisations, of which ...

27 novembre 2015: All four laser guide star units that form the Four Laser Guide Star Facility — a core part of the Adaptive Optics Facility (AOF) for ESO’s Very Large Telescope — have now been accepted and are being shipped to Chile. This is a major step towards establishing VLT Unit Telescope 4 as a fully adaptive telescope with much enhanced image quality. An adaptive optics system uses sensors to analyse the atmospheric turbulence and a deformable mirror integrated in the telescope to correct for the image distortions caused by the atmosphere. But a bright point-like star very close in the sky to the object being studied is essential, so that the turbulence can be accurately characterised. Finding a natural star in the right place for this role is unlikely. So, to make the correction of the atmospheric turbulence possible everywhere in the sky, for all possible science targets, an artificial star ...

25 novembre 2015: Des astronomes ont utilisé le spectrographe multi-objets MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) sur le VLT (Very Large Telescope) d’ESO à l’observatoire de Paranal pour profiter d’une opportunité unique de tester leur compréhension des amas massifs de galaxies. Ils ont réussi à faire la toute première prédiction d’un événement astronomique dans l’univers distant avant qu’il ne devienne visible. Les images de l’amas de galaxies MACS J1149+2223 observé avec le télescope spatial Hubble de la NASA/ESA en novembre 2014 ont révélé une distante explosion d’étoile - une supernova - comme jamais observée. Surnommée Refsdal [1], elle est la première supernova séparée en quatre images distinctes grâce au processus de lentille gravitationnelle. Elle forme une croix d’Einstein presque parfaite autour d’une galaxie de l’amas. La lentille gravitationnelle est une conséquence de la théorie de la relativité générale d’Einstein. La travail scientifique qui décrit les équations de ce changement fondamental dans notre compréhension de ...

10 novembre 2015: The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) continues to expand its power and capabilities by linking with other millimetre-wavelength telescopes in Europe and North America in a series of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations. In VLBI, data from two or more telescopes are combined to form a single, virtual telescope that spans the geographic distance between them. The most recent of these experiments with ALMA and other telescopes formed an Earth-sized telescope with extraordinarily fine resolution. These experiments are an essential step in including ALMA in the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a global network of millimetre-wavelength telescopes that will have the power to study the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way in unprecedented detail. Before ALMA could participate in VLBI observations, it first had to be transformed into a different kind of instrument known as a phased array [1]. This new version of ALMA allows its ...

10 novembre 2015: The outcome of the 2015 Photo Nightscape Award — organised by Ciel et Espace Photos — has been decided. Over 400 photographs and timelapses from more than 50 countries were submitted for this year’s competition, from which eight winners have now been chosen. Prizes were awarded to the first and second places in three categories: Nightscape, In Town, and Timelapse, with two further awards in the Junior category. The first prize in the Nightscape category went to Michael Goh from Australia for his spectacular nightscape showing the plane of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, arching above the Australian desert. His award is a one-week trip to the Paranal Observatory, home of the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in northern Chile. This prize was offered by ESO, which is a supporting partner of the Photo Nightscape Award. Eric Courcier from France won second place in this category. Philippe Jacquot from France ...

6 novembre 2015: On 27 October 2015, at 22:40 GMT, the NASA/ASI/UKSA Swift satellite discovered its 1000th gamma-ray burst (GRB). This landmark event was subsequently observed and characterised by ESO telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory in northern Chile, which revealed that this GRB was an especially interesting object. Gamma-ray bursts are intense flashes of gamma radiation that occur randomly throughout the distant Universe. They are thought to be caused by an extremely energetic stellar explosion and believed to signal the birth of a new black hole. Swift is dedicated to searching the skies for these mysterious and fascinating events and, after more than ten vigilant years, the satellite has now discovered its 1000th GRB. GRB 151027B occurred on 27 October 2015, in the direction of the constellation of Eridanus (The River) [1]. ESO telescopes have a long and successful tradition of performing follow-up observations of GRB events (eso0318 and eso0533), and ...

4 novembre 2015: The sites of ESO’s observatories in Chile were chosen for their minimal light pollution and pristine night skies. However, strange green and red colours in images of the night sky have become an increasingly common sight over the past few years. This ESOcast takes a look at what causes these mysterious glows, and why we are seeing more and more of them. You can subscribe to the ESOcasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other ESOcast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles to the ESOcast in multiple languages. Credits: ESO Editing: Herbert Zodet. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Petr Horálek, Stefan Noll, Christopher Marshall, Richard Hook and Herbert Zodet. Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa. Music: STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com). Footage and photos: ESO, L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser, S. Brunier, R. Wesson, ...

29 octobre 2015: In recent months, the construction of the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre has made substantial progress and the remarkable architecture of the building has become clearly visible. To celebrate the fast pace of the construction work, a festivity was held on 28 October 2015, at ESO Headquarters in Garching bei München, Germany. The construction workers were invited by ESO, the architects Bernhardt + Partner, and other companies involved in the construction including Schumann Projektsteuerung, Bollinger + Grohmann, IB Hausladen and Burnickl Ingenieure, to a party with food and beer. The whole occasion provided both the construction team and the future occupants with an opportunity to celebrate the building’s progress and to wish it and its occupants luck in the future. ESO, the architects and all the other parties involved would particularly like to take the opportunity to thank the workers on the site for their exceptional dedication in constructing ...

27 octobre 2015: Music from the ALMA Music Box — an audio artwork that plays melodies created from ALMA observations — is now available to be purchased in the iTunes store, on the compilation CD Music for a Dying Star. R Sculptoris, a massive red giant star located roughly 1000 light-years away in the constellation of Sculptor, is in the final stages of its life, and is violently expelling massive amounts of gas into space as it depletes its supply of fuel. The ALMA Music Box plays musical discs inscribed with information from ALMA’s observations of this dying star, based on images taken at 70 different radio frequencies. The Music Box, a collaboration between the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, PARTY New York and Qosmo, plays 70 musical discs, each corresponding to a different radio frequency observation. The discs feature holes corresponding to points of intensity in the emission. The ALMA Music Box ...

21 octobre 2015: In partnership with the Art & Science Network, ESO invites interested artists to submit applications to be considered for a residency at one of its Chilean observatories. Conducted by Ars Electronica and ESO, this second open call is part of a successful ongoing cooperation between the two institutions. Artists are encouraged to submit a short video conveying the ideas and themes they would like to develop and implement during a residency at one of ESO’s Chilean observatories and the Ars Electronica Futurelab. The residency will consist of an initial period at one of ESO’s observatories and then a month with the Ars Electronica Futurelab team and a mentor at Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria with whom the winner will develop and create new work inspired by the visit to ESO. The call opened for entries on 15 October 2015 and closes on 29 November 2015 (23:59 UTC+1). An international jury ...