Paranal Observatory is an astronomical observatory operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). It is located in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile on Cerro Paranal at 2,635 m (8,645 ft) altitude, 120 km (70 mi) south of Antofagasta. By total light-collecting area, it is the largest optical-infrared observatory in the Southern Hemisphere; worldwide, it is second to the Mauna Kea Observatory on Hawaii.
The Very Large Telescope (VLT), the largest telescope on Paranal, is composed of four separate 8.2 m (320 in) telescopes. In addition, the four main telescopes can be used simultaneously for extra light gathering capacity, and for interferometry. Four auxiliary telescopes of 1.8 m (71 in) each are also part of the VLTI to make it available when the main telescopes are being used for other projects. The site also houses two survey telescopes with wide fields of view, the 4.0 m (160 in) VISTA and the 2.6 m (100 in) VLT Survey Telescope for surveying large areas of the sky; and two arrays of small telescopes called NGTS and SPECULOOS which are dedicated to searching for exoplanets.
Two major new facilities are under construction nearby: the southern part of the Cherenkov Telescope Array gamma-ray telescope (not owned by ESO) will be sited in the grounds 10 km south-east of Paranal; while ESO's future E-ELT will be on the nearby peak of Cerro Armazones 20 km east of Paranal, and will share some of the base facilities.
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ParanalObservatory is an astronomical observatory operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). It is located in the Atacama Desert of Northern...
Cerro Paranal is a mountain in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile and is the home of the ParanalObservatory. Prior to the construction of the observatory...
ESO Hotel at Cerro Paranal (or Residencia) is the accommodation for ParanalObservatory in Chile since 2002. It is mainly used for the ESO (European Southern...
optical observatories include Mauna Kea Observatory and Kitt Peak National Observatory in the US, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in Spain, and Paranal Observatory...
Chajnantor (1999) Paranal (1998) ELT (2024) La Silla (1964) Bolivia Argentina Chile Although ESO is headquartered in Germany, its telescopes and observatories are in...
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Like other observatories in this geographical area, La Silla is located far from sources of light pollution and, like the ParanalObservatory, home to the...
a fourth: La Silla ObservatoryParanalObservatory, which includes the Very Large Telescope (VLT) Llano de Chajnantor Observatory, which hosts the ALMA...
lightning, including red sprites, Blue jets, and ELVES Water sky "Belt of Venus over Cerro Paranal". Picture of the Week. ESO. Retrieved 14 August 2013....
Telescope (VLT) is a facility operated by the European Southern Observatory, located on Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. It consists of...
planned in 2023. Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) – 6.5 m (260 in). First light planned for 2023. Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer, New Mexico,...
phenomena. Sourcebook Project. ISBN 0915554011. "Belt of Venus over Cerro Paranal". Picture of the Week. ESO. Retrieved 14 August 2013. Portals: Ecology...
Suitable locations on Earth include Mauna Kea Observatory at 4205 meters above sea level, the ParanalObservatory at 2635 meters in Chile and regions of high...
ISBN 978-0-12-805357-7. "Green Rays". mintaka.sdsu.edu. "Belt of Venus over Cerro Paranal". Picture of the Week. ESO. Retrieved 14 August 2013. "Welcome to Phenomenon...
Tololo Inter-American Observatory Extremely Large Telescope La Silla Observatory Llano de Chajnantor ObservatoryParanalObservatory Very Large Telescope...
2023 is Rolf Chini Cerro Murphy Observatory) is an international astrophysical project hosted by the ESO ParanalObservatory and operated by the Nicolaus...
The image was made with the European Southern Observatory's VLT telescope at the ParanalObservatory, Chile on June 25, 2004. GQ Lupi b has a spectral...
the Very Large Telescope (VLT) at the ParanalObservatory in Chile by a team from the European Southern Observatory led by Gaël Chauvin. It is believed...
§ Discovering dedicated institutions Mount Teide ParanalObservatory Pico Viejo Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Teide National Park Very Large Telescope "First...
Norge 14.–15. Mai". "The Crown Prince Couple of Denmark visits ESO's ParanalObservatory". ESO. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved...
Night at La Silla". ESO Picture of the Week. Retrieved 20 August 2013. "Paranal Nights". ESO Picture of the Week. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Kelly, William...
has an area of 20,405.1 km2 (7,878 sq mi). The commune is home to ParanalObservatory and includes the northern portion of Pan de Azúcar National Park...
SPECULOOS Southern Observatory (SSO) at the ParanalObservatory in Chile and SPECULOOS Northern Observatory (SNO) at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife. The...
the Large Magellanic Cloud". European Southern Observatory Press Release. European Southern Observatory: 21. 1 June 2010. Bibcode:2010eso..pres...21. Retrieved...
The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) is a telescope located at ESO's ParanalObservatory in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. It is housed in an enclosure...
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