Chile 2016

Saturday19November

Crazy day today because we are forced to change our schedule. 'Forced' is a strong word, but going to this place was really important to me because if there's one thing that excites me in this world, it's stargazing... So being in the country that houses one of the largest telescopes in the world, I couldn't miss the opportunity!

This site is the Paranal Observatory, open to the public only on Saturdays by reservation. Obviously, we had planned it for another day, when we would be in Antofagasta... So we decided to register by email anyway, and if our request was validated, to make the round trip in one day. And that was the case! We received an email confirming our registration was accepted!

So it was with our car that we literally crossed the country (since we are all the way east and Paranal is all the way west not far from the ocean), which means 4 hours to Antofagasta then 1 hour to the observatory...

Here we are finally in the parking lot of the ESO (European Southern Observatory) located at the top of Paranal mountain, far from any human activity and especially in the middle of the desert. We know this desert well since we are in the Atacama Desert, the very one we have been visiting for two days on the other side of the country, 5 hours from here!

The parking lot before the controlled entrance.

The small 'town' where everything is provided to meet the needs of the center.

We passed the entrance gate and a guide takes charge of our small group of visitors to this mysterious dome that slightly protrudes from the ground...

This dome houses the apartments of astronomers from all over the world who come to put their work into practice. And here is the decor that welcomes visitors: photos taken by the residents themselves.  

If this building is buried underground, it is to preserve the area as much as possible from any light or thermal pollution, which would hinder the observations made by the telescopes.

In the entrance hall, a small tropical forest and its recreated blue lagoon...  

We take our own vehicles to climb to the summit of Mount Paranal (2635 meters above sea level) where four large telescopes are located, each sheltered in these white buildings. Helmet mandatory!

Four small auxiliary telescopes complete the array.

A short stroll through the offices where scientists are at work.

Our astronomer guide gives us a summary of how the facility operates.

Behind, the control screens and surveillance cameras.

Even the whiteboard holds no more secrets for us!...

Here we are in front of one of the four eight-meter diameter telescopes.

The immense building can open a window and pivot on itself towards the area of the sky to be observed.

Posing for eternity in front of the telescope...

The 8.2-meter diameter mirror weighing 23 tons.

Well, it was really worth all those kilometers to discover this little side of the opera glass... or the telescope... At least when you're a enthusiast like me!   Now, all we have to do is return to our starting point on the other side of the country... Not much, just 5 hours and 400 kilometers of road... a trifle...