ALMA is releasing data acquired as part of the Extension and Optimisation of Capabilities effort (EOC). These data were taken as part of the High-Frequency Long-Baseline Campaign (HF-LBC-2021) during Cycle 7, which was organised to test the calibration and imaging capability of ALMA at high-frequencies (397 - 908 GHz, Band 8-10) and using long baselines (~16 km). One main priority was to make a final validation of the band-to-band (B2B) phase referencing observation mode in Bands 8, 9, and 10. This technique allows the calibration of high-frequency observations by using a phase calibrator observed at a lower frequency, e.g. pairing Band 10 target observations with a Band 7 phase calibrator. The campaign conducted validation tests observing a complex structure (non-point-source) target source, R Lep, a carbon-rich evolved star in Bands 8, 9, and 10. Details of the campaign is detailed by Asaki et al (2023 Aug ApJ accepted). The successful campaign helped lead to the opening of Bands 8-10 long-baselines during Cycle 9. R Lep in Bands 8, 9, and 10 are available for download.

The European ALMA Regional Centre network is organising an ALMA School that will be hosted by the UK ARC Node on 10 - 14 June 2024 in Manchester. This school is designed to provide training on a broad range of aspects related to ALMA, including interferometry, data calibration and imaging, the ALMA archive, analysis techniques, ALMA science, and future ALMA developments. For more details and registration please visit the meeting website.

The deadline for proposal submission for Period 113 (1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024) was 26 September 2023: 782 valid proposals were submitted, noting that submission of Large Programmes is not open in odd Periods.  On the VLT, the most demanded ESO instrument was MUSE with a request of 266 nights, followed by  X-Shooter with 169 nights and ERIS with 138 nights. HARPS/NIRPS on the ESO 3.6-metre telescope was the most demanded instrument at La Silla, with a combined request of 122 nights.

La Silla Observing School 2024 will include lectures on the basics of observing techniques and will teach participants on how to prepare for observing with ESO telescopes. The participants will work on specific science projects within groups and observe with the NTT, the 3.6m and the ESO/MPG 2.2m telescopes at La Silla Observatory, after which they will reduce and analyse their datasets and present their findings to the public. Registration deadline is 30 October. 

Abstract submission is now open for the conference "Raising the veil on star formation near and far: a conference in honour of Richard Hills". This conference will bring together scientists from multiple areas to discuss the recent developments in understanding star formation both in our Galaxy and across the cosmic epochs, with focus on its elusive and obscured components. It will also be an occasion to commemorate the fundamental contribution in these areas by the late Richard Hills, former ALMA Project Scientist, about two years after his passing. Richard guided the development of instrumentation and observatories that have shaped our understanding of the cold and dusty Universe over the last 50 years both through his insightful technical understanding and his broad scientific knowledge of multiple areas of astrophysics.

The Call for Proposals for observations at ESO telescopes in Period 113 (1 April 2024–30 September 2024) has been released. Please consult the Period 113 document for the main news items and policies related to applying for time on ESO telescopes. All technical information about the offered instruments and facilities is contained on ESO web pages that are linked from the Call. The proposal submission deadline is 12:00 CEST 26 September 2023.

The 2023 Olivier Chesneau prize is awarded to Iva Laginja on her PhD work "Contrast based tolerancing of space telescopes for exoEarth imaging", successfully defended in December 2021 at Paris Observatory. This thesis, carried out between the National Office of Aerospace Studies and Research (ONERA), the Laboratory of Astrophysics of Marseille (LAM) and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) impressed the Chesneau prize jury with its great introduction, giving a broad panorama of exoplanet detection prospects and techniques, a solid theoretical study of segments alignment tolerancing on large space-based telescopes, and an application and adaptation of this theoretical framework to both a laboratory testbench and the JWST, validating on real datasets the developed principles. This PhD work led to 3 first-author refereed publications, a significant number.  

ESO’s prestigious postdoctoral fellowship programme in both Garching (Germany) and Santiago (Chile) offers outstanding early-career scientists the opportunity to further develop their independent research programmes. From exoplanets to cosmology, observational, theoretical and fundamental astrophysics, these are all areas where ESO Fellows can benefit from a highly dynamic scientific environment, at some of the most advanced ground-based telescopes in the world. Do watch ESOCast 165 to hear what previous ESO fellows have to say about the fellowship programme or watch the virtual tour to ESO’s premises from 2020 or 2021 where young scientists could ask questions about the fellowship programme.

The ESO research studentship programme provides an outstanding opportunity for PhD students to experience the exciting scientific environment at one of the world's leading observatories. ESO's studentship positions are open to students enrolled in a university PhD programme in astronomy or related fields. Students accepted into the programme work on their doctoral project under the formal supervision of their home university supervisor, but they come to ESO to work and study under the co-supervision of an ESO staff astronomer for a period of up to two years.

The European ARC Network invites users to an online training on Introduction to Data Combination on September 21^st, 11:00 CET. In this training, participants will be introduced to the combination of ALMA interferometric and single-dish ("total power") data with CASA.