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Let’s set the record straight! The interstellar visitor #3IATLAS cruising through our Solar System is no #alien spaceship and won’t hit Earth. Still, the buzz around it is far from unfounded. Learn the real science behind it from a comet expert in our latest episode of Chasing Starlight: #astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

Making astronomy accessible for everyone requires developing new and engaging ways to describe astronomical data. In our latest blog post we talked to sonification experts to learn how astronomical data can be turned into sound, and how this approach can benefit everyone. Read more:

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ESOblog: Accessibility in Astronomy Pt. 2: Learning to listen

Accessibility in Astronomy Pt. 2: Learning to listen

#accessibility #astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

Yet another milestone reached by our Extremely Large Telescope! Today we signed an agreement with a large international consortium for the design and construction of MOSAIC, an instrument for the ELT. Able to measure the light from more than two hundred sources at the same time, MOSAIC will be used to trace the growth of galaxies and the distribution of matter from the Big Bang to the present day. Read more:

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ESO signs agreement for MOSAIC instrument on the ELT

ESO signs agreement for MOSAIC instrument on the ELT

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

1/ A telescope fist bump in the sky 🤜 🤛 Only by working together can our Unit Telescopes become the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. By combining the light, the VLTI obtains the level of detail of a huge 130 m virtual telescope. Yet this requires correcting the effects of Earth’s atmosphere. So, new lasers were installed in the previously unequipped UTs as part of the GRAVITY+ upgrade. More:

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A telescope fist bump in the sky

A telescope fist bump in the sky

📷 J. Beltrán/ESO #astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

A hypnotising view of Paranal in #Chile! Yet the sky is not revolving around the tip of one of our Auxiliary Telescopes. This illusion is caused by the almost perfect alignment with the southern celestial pole, around which stars seem to trail due to Earth's rotation. Capturing these circular star trails is no easy task: a slight misalignment can completely ruin the outcome! 😲 Read more:

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A hypnotising view of Paranal

A hypnotising view of Paranal

📷 O. Castillo/ESO #astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

For the first time ever, astronomers have unveiled the shape of a star’s explosion at its earliest stage. The feat was achieved by ESO's Very Large Telescope just a day after the detection of this supernova, as the blast was breaking through the star’s surface. This brief initial phase wouldn’t have been observable a day later. This will help shed light on how massive stars go supernova.

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Unique shape of star’s explosion revealed just a day after detection

Swift observations with the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) have revealed the explosive death of a star just a...

Illustration: ESO/L. Calçada #astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

A dance of two pairs! While the two Magellanic Clouds shine upon the Atacama Desert in #Chile, two Auxiliary Telescopes of ESO’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer point up to the sky. Just like our cosmic neighbours move around the Milky Way, the Auxiliary Telescopes can be moved along rails and arranged in different configurations when observing the sky. Read more:

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A dance of two pairs

A dance of two pairs

📷 J. Looten/ESO #astrodon #astronomy #astrophotography #astrophysics #space #science

Open Sesame! The doors of our Extremely Large Telescope have moved for the first time. This was no small feat, as each door will weigh 650 tonnes once completed. The ELT dome and its doors will guard the telescope from the harsh conditions of the Atacama Desert in #Chile.

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Open Sesame: The ELT doors move for the first time

Open Sesame: The ELT doors move for the first time

📹 ESO/ACe #astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science #engineering

The ESO Council has appointed Andreas Kaufer to be the new ESO Director General. Currently Director of Operations, Andreas Kaufer will succeed Xavier Barcons, who will remain as Director General until end of August 2026. Read more:

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Andreas Kaufer appointed as next ESO Director General

The Council of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has appointed Andreas Kaufer to be the new ESO Director General. Kaufer, who is currently ES...

📷 ESO/Max Alexander #astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

The magic of a pristine sky 🤩 The Milky Way arches over our Very Large Telescope, set under a colourful sky. This so-called airglow is extremely faint and only noticeable in the darkest regions, such as the Atacama Desert in #Chile. So, preserving pristine skies not only enables cutting-edge research, but it also allows photographers to capture the magic of a perfectly dark night.

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The magic of a pristine sky

The magic of a pristine sky

📷 J. Looten/ESO #astrodon #astronomy #astrophotography #astrophysics #space #science