History

1950

A shared European Observatory is discussed for the first time by a group of astronomers at Leiden, the Netherlands. Immediately thereafter, the subject was further discussed, also in the Netherlands, at the Groningen conference. ESO declaration by leading astronomers from six European countries expressing the wish that a joint European observatory be established in the southern hemisphere. Site testing begins in South Africa and later in South America, to identify the best location for the ESO observatory.

1960

Founding Members Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden sign the ESO Convention. Otto Heckmann (1901–1983) becomes the first Director General of ESO, and ESO offices open in the Hamburg-Bergedorf Observatory, where he was Director. ESO starts site testing in Chile. Chile is chosen as the site for the ESO observatory and the Convenio (also known as the Acuerdo), the agreement between Chile and ESO, is signed. The decision to build headquarters in Santiago, Chile’s capital is made.
The ESO Convention takes effect following its ratification in by France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden (Founding Members, Member States 1–4). The ESO Council ratifies the Convenio. The Chilean government ratifies the Convenio. The ESO Council selects the mountain Cinchado Nord — later to become La Silla — as the site of its observatory. Acquisition of La Silla Mountain and land for the Chile headquarters in Vitacura. ESO acquires the Guesthouse in Las Condes. Construction of the La Silla Observatory begins. Dedication ceremony for the road to the summit of La Silla.

1970

Adriaan Blaauw (1914–2010) takes over as Director General of ESO. ESO signs an agreement with CERN to collaborate in the realisation of the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope. ESO’s Telescope Division moves into offices on the CERN premises in Geneva. First light for the ESO 0.5-metre Telescope. First light for the ESO 1-metre Schmidt Telescope. The first edition of the Messenger, ESO’s quarterly in-house magazine, is published by ESO. Lodewijk Woltjer (1930– ) takes over as Director General of ESO. First Light of the Swiss 0.4-m Telescope. The ESO Council approves Garching bei München, Germany, as the new home for ESO’s Headquarters. First light for the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope.

1980

First Light for the Swiss T70 Telescope. First light of the infrared photometer/spectrophotometer on the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope. First light of the 1.4-metre Coudé Auxiliary Telescope (CAT), and its Coudé Echelle Spectrometer (CES). Inauguration of the new ESO Headquarters in Garching, Germany. Switzerland formally joins ESO (Member State 7). Italy formally joins ESO (Member State 8). First light of the infrared photometer/spectrophotometer on the ESO 1-metre Telescope. Light of the Cassegrain Echelle Spectrograph (CASPEC) at the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope. First light for the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre Telescope. The Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility — the European home for Hubble — opens within ESO as a collaboration with the European Space Agency. first tests for remote-controlling a telescope are carried out on the 2.2-metre Telescope. First light of the Lyon Specklegraph on the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope. First light of the F/35 chopping secondary system and the infrared photometers on the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope. First light of IRSPEC on the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope.

1990

First light of the COME-ON instrument on the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope. First Light of the ESO Multi-Mode Instrument (EMMI) on the NTT. Paranal is selected by ESO as the site for the VLT. Construction of the Paranal Observatory begins with the levelling of the mountain. First light of the IRAC2 instrument on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre Telescope. First light of the Thermal Infrared MultiMode Instrument (TIMMI) on the ESO 3.6-metre Telescope.

2000

First light for the VLT’s third Unit Telescope (UT3), Melipal. Portugal signs the Accession Agreement.
First light for the VLT’s fourth Unit Telescope (UT4), Yepun. First light of the second Thermal Infrared MultiMode Instrument (TIMMI2) on the ESO 3.6-metre telescope. First light for the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). Representatives from ESO, Japan, and North America sign a resolution affirming their mutual intent to construct and operate ALMA. Portugal formally joins ESO (Member State 9).
First light for the combined NAOS–CONICA instrument (NACO) on the VLT’s UT4 Yepun. First light of the VIsible Multi-Object Spectrograph (VIMOS) on the VLT’s UT3, Melipal.

2010

The first direct spectrum of an exoplanet is observed with the VLT. Read more in ESO Press Release eso1002. Cerro Armazones is chosen as site for the ELT. First light of the TRAPPIST telescope at La Silla.
Astronomers using HARPS discover the richest planetary system so far, containing at least five planets around the Sun-like star HD 10180. ALMA’s Santiago Central Office (SCO), built for the ALMA project by ESO, is handed over. The first direct measurements of the spectra of exoplanets and their atmospheres are made with the VLT. Read more in the ESO Press Release eso1047 and in the ESO Press Release eso1002. Brazil signs the Accession Agreement to become member of ESO. The Space Telescope-European Coordinating Facility for the Hubble Space Telescope closes. The light from all four VLT Unit Telescopes is combined for the first time. First images from the VLT Survey Telescope. The first European ALMA antenna arrives at Chajnantor.

Members

Austria

Belgium

Chile

Czech Republic

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

ireland

Italy

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Observatories

Paranal Observatory

At 2635 metres above sea level in the Atacama Desert of Chile, ESO’s Paranal Observatory is one of the very best astronomical observing sites in the world and is the flagship facility for European ground-based astronomy. It hosts several world-class telescopes; among them are the Very Large Telescope, the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy, and the VLT Survey Telescope. Other scientific and support facilities are also located at Paranal, including several smaller telescopes and an innovative accommodation facility known as the Residencia.

La Silla Observatory

The La Silla Observatory is located on the outskirts of the Chilean Atacama Desert, 600 km north of Santiago de Chile and at an altitude of 2400 metres. Like other observatories in this geographical area, La Silla is located far from sources of light pollution and, like the Paranal Observatory, home to the Very Large Telescope, it has one of the darkest night skies on the Earth. La Silla has been an ESO stronghold since the 1960s. Here, ESO operates two of the most productive 4-metre class telescopes in the world.
The La Silla Observatory is the first world-class observatory to have been granted certification for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 Quality Management System.

Chajnantor

High on the Chajnantor plateau in the Chilean Andes, the European Southern Observatory (ESO), together with its international partners, is operating the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) — a state-of-the-art telescope to study light from some of the coldest objects in the Universe. The Obsercatory CHajnator is also called the ALMA Observatory.Astronomers can use it to study the chemical and physical conditions in molecular clouds — the dense regions of gas and dust where new stars are being born. Often these regions of the Universe are dark and obscured in visible light, but they shine brightly in the millimetre and submillimetre part of the spectrum.

Collaborations

Science Collaborations

ESO has an extensive programme for Fellows (young astronomers with a PhD degree), PhD Students, and Master’s Students, thus contributing to the mobility of European scientists. ESO also sometimes hosts externally funded fellows (e.g., Marie-Curie). Junior and senior scientists from the Member States and other countries work for periods of a few days to a few months as visiting scientists at the ESO sites. In addition, ESO maintains a vigorous programme of international conferences with themes in front-line astronomical science and technology and provides logistic support for the international journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Collaborations with Industry

In order to provide the user community with progressively better astronomical telescopes and instruments, ESO cooperates closely with a large number of European high-tech industries. European industry plays a vital role in the realisation of ESO projects. Without the active and enthusiastic participation of commercial partners from all of the Member States and Chile, such projects would not be possible. More information can be found under Doing Business with ESO.

ESO and the European Union

ESO is the foremost organisation for ground-based astronomy in Europe. Since its establishment in 1962 it has become the main developer and operator of the largest research infrastructure projects in astronomy but also, in line with the ESO Convention, played a major role in fostering and organising European co-operation in astronomy in general. ESO is thus well prepared to make an important contribution towards the creation of the European Research Area, an initiative of the European Union to bolster European R&D and to support Europe’s efforts to realise the so-called Lisbon-goals. ESO’s interaction with the European Union comprises:
- direct actions, conducted through the Framework Programmes
- participation in EU-funded networks, such as OPTICON and ASTRONET
- activities carried out in the frame of the EIROforum partnership.While some activities are related to R&D and often linked to specific ESO projects, other activities concern public outreach and education.

ESO and ESA

In 2015 ESA and ESO signed a cooperation agreement between the two organisations at ESO’s offices in Santiago, Chile. There is considerable overlap of interests between ESO, pre-eminent in ground-based astronomy, and ESA, Europe’s leader in space research and technology. The agreement provides a framework for future close cooperation and exchange of information in many areas, including technology and scientific research.

ESO and Cern

ESO and the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) signed a cooperation agreement in 2015, 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.

International collaborations

ESO has been an observer in the United Nations Committee for the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) since 2008. ESO is the only ground-based observatory part of the action team that deals with the potential threat from Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). Therefore, it has an important mission to facilitate the appropriate submission of observing proposals to make observations of potentially dangerous objects that require the use of large telescopes.

Legal NoticePrivacy PolicyContactInstagram