Paranal Observatory

Coordinates: 24°37′38″S 70°24′15″W / 24.62722°S 70.40417°W / -24.62722; -70.40417
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Paranal Observatory
Cerro Paranal (main-peak) with the VLT and VST
Cerro Paranal is the observatory's main-peak where the VLT (four units) and VST (right) are located
Alternative namesESO's Paranal Observatory Edit this at Wikidata
OrganizationEuropean Southern Observatory
Observatory code 309 Edit this on Wikidata
LocationCerro Paranal, Chile
Coordinates24°37′38″S 70°24′15″W / 24.62722°S 70.40417°W / -24.62722; -70.40417
Altitude2,635 metres (8,645 ft)
Established1 April 1999 Edit this on Wikidata
Websiteeso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/
Telescopes
Very Large Telescope8.2 m reflector (×4)
VLT Auxiliary Telescope1.8 m reflector (×4)
VISTA Telescope4.0 m reflector
VLT Survey Telescope2.6 m reflector
Next-Generation Transit Survey0.2 m array (×12)
Paranal Observatory is located in Chile
Paranal Observatory
Location of Paranal Observatory
  Related media on Commons
[edit on Wikidata]

Paranal Observatory is an

Mauna Kea Observatory
on Hawaii.

The

exoplanets
.

Two major new facilities are under construction nearby: the southern part of the

E-ELT will be on the nearby peak of Cerro Armazones
20 km east of Paranal, and will share some of the base facilities.

Telescopes

Aerial view

The four VLTs and ATs and the VST on the main peak and VISTA in the background
The four VLTs and ATs and the VST on the main peak and VISTA in the background

From an aerial view of the Paranal Observatory, the four large units of the VLT with their four small, dome-shaped auxiliary telescopes can be clearly seen. The Survey Telescope, VST, is immediately adjacent to the VLT and seen in between two of its units, while VISTA is located on a secondary peak, some 1,500 m away in the background (see image).

Very Large Telescope

Main article: Very Large Telescope

The

visible and infrared. These telescopes, along with four smaller auxiliary telescopes, are also combined to operate as an optical interferometer on certain nights of the year. All of the 8.2-metre telescopes have adaptive optics and a full suite of instruments. The primary mirrors of the main telescopes are 8.2 meters in diameter but, in practice, the pupil of the telescopes is defined by the secondary mirrors, effectively limiting the usable diameter to 8.0 meters.[1]

VISTA Survey Telescope

Main article: VISTA (telescope)

VISTA is the Visible & Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy, a 4.0-metre telescope with a wide field of view, focusing on infrared surveys of the sky. It was built close to ESO's VLT by a consortium of 18 universities from the United Kingdom, led by Queen Mary University of London. VISTA was handed over to the European Southern Observatory in December 2009.

VLT Survey Telescope (VST)

Main article: VLT Survey Telescope

The VLT Survey Telescope or VST is a 2.6-metre telescope with a wide field imager intended to aid the four Very Large Telescope (VLTs) in their scientific aims.

Next-Generation Transit Survey (NGTS)

Main article: Next-Generation Transit Survey

The

SuperWASP project. Science operations began in early 2015.[2][3]

SPECULOOS Southern Observatory (SSO)

Main article: SPECULOOS

The SPECULOOS Southern Observatory (SSO) consists out of four telescopes, called Europa, Io, Callisto, and Ganymede. ESO hosts the 1-meter telescopes and the project is led by the University of Liège. The project aims to find exoplanets around ultracool dwarf stars and brown dwarfs. The project builds on the success of the TRAPPIST telescope. The telescopes are located next to the NGTS.[4]

Other buildings

Further information: ESO Hotel

As well as the telescopes, control buildings and maintenance facilities, Paranal has a

Marchioness of la Pica.[5]

Gallery

  • Main entrance of the Paranal Observatory.
    Main entrance of the Paranal Observatory.
  • A 360-degree panorama of the southern sky above the Paranal platform
    A 360-degree panorama of the southern sky above the Paranal platform
  • The ESO Residencia (center left) and basecamp at Paranal
    The
    ESO Residencia
    (center left) and basecamp at Paranal
  • Aerial view
    Aerial view
  • Paranal platform with the VLTs, the ATs and VST
    Paranal platform with the VLTs, the ATs and VST
  • The NGTS with the VLT and VISTA (background)
    The NGTS with the VLT and VISTA (background)
  • The platform as night sets
    The platform as night sets
  • Beam of the laser guide star facility at VLT's Yepun Unit
    Beam of the laser guide star facility at VLT's Yepun Unit
  • Time-lapse taken at Paranal, showing the Magellanic Clouds
  • Full tour of the facility in
    LEGO
    ® form
  • This collection of video clips shows daily life at the observatory
  • Tour the Skies.[6]
    Tour the Skies.[6]
  • Colour in the air.[7]
    Colour in the air.[7]
  • Three of the SPECULOOS telescopes
    Three of the SPECULOOS telescopes

Popular culture and other uses

To illustrate the isolation of the Paranal Observatory from the lights of civilization, it is located 38 kilometres (24 mi) in straight-line distance north of Paposo, population 259, the nearest community to the observatory.[8]

The VLT hotel, the Residencia, served as a backdrop for part of the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

The observatory's facilities were used to stage the Pacific Alliance's fourth summit in June 2012, formally launching the organization.

On 14 March 2013,

Princess Mary
, visited ESO's Paranal Observatory, as part of an official visit to Chile. Their tour of Paranal's astronomical facilities was led by ESO's Director General, Tim de Zeeuw.

The visit of the
Princess of Asturias to the observatory
The Crown Prince of Denmark
visits the observatory.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paranal Observatory.

References

  1. ^ "Very Large Telescope: Requirements for Scientific Instruments on the VLT Unit Telescopes" (PDF). www.eso.org. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  2. ^ "New Exoplanet-hunting Telescopes on Paranal". European Southern Observatory. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  3. ^ "About NGTS". Next Generation Transit Survey. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Paranal map and safety". eso.org. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  5. ^ "Proyectos—Hoteles". Paula Gutiérrez Erlandsen. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Tour the Skies". eso.org. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Colour in the air". eso.org. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  8. ^ Google Earth

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paranal_Observatory&oldid=1207685613"