file

VLT BEYOND 2030

26 - 30 JANUARY 2026

GARCHING NEAR MUNICH, GERMANY

 

European Southern Observatory

ESO operates optical/near-infrared telescopes on La Silla and Paranal and is a partner in the mm/sub-mm observatory Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) on Cerro Armazones is under construction with a planned start of operations at the end of the decade. ESO is a partner in the Cerenkov Telescope Array (CTA) to start operations in the coming years. In addition, ESO provides resources, like user support and science archives to empower the community to make best use of the offered facilities. The existing and planned ESO facilities cover a large parameter space in the electromagnetic spectrum, angular, spectral and time resolution, multiplex and observing methods.

VLT/I

In particular, Paranal observatory was developed specifically to host the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and its Interferometer (VLTI) some 30 years ago. The VLT instrumentation has been developed over many years and sees continuous upgrades. With thirteen VLT foci (incl. an incoherent combined one), and a coherent focal lab (VLTI), the instrumentation consists of ‘workhorse’ instruments,
which cater for a large community and see versatile applications to many astrophysical problems, and specialised instruments to serve specific and more focused needs. It is an advantage that the VLT/I offers so many foci and can also serve specialised techniques and communities.

VLT beyond 2030

ESO aims to maintain the VLT and VLTI at the science forefront of astrophysical research in the ELT era. The development of the facilities follows planning that is discussed with the ESO governing bodies to derive the best synergies amongst the facilities. As part of this process, ESO is organising a conference, dubbed “VLT beyond 2030”, in Garching near Munich (Germany) in January 2026. The meeting will review science topics, emerging technologies and expanding parameter spaces relevant for the VLT/I in the next decade and beyond. The goal of the meeting is to reach a broad community by covering topics and through contributed talks across scientific topics, new technologies, facilities landscapes, operational opportunities. ESO will issue a call for white papers for new projects/instruments for VLT/I during the conference with a deadline a year later, in January 2027, marking the start of the assessment phase.

 

We invite you to join us for this exciting workshop at the ESO Headquarters in Garching near Munich, with remote participation available via MS Teams. 

E-mail: VLTbeyond2030@eso.org

Quick links