Announcement

Koning Filip en koningin Mathilde der Belgen bezoeken ESO’s Paranal Observatorium

26 June 2025

De koning en koningin der Belgen hebben een bezoek gebracht aan het Paranal Observatorium in de Chileense Atacamawoestijn. Daar bevinden zich, naast andere faciliteiten van wereldklasse, ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) en de toekomstige Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). Voor de koning was het zijn tweede bezoek aan ESO in Chili. In 2011 was hij op bezoek als troonopvolger.

De delegatie werd ontvangen door ESO-directeur-generaal Xavier Barcons, samen met de ESO-directeur van het La Silla Paranal Observatorium, Thomas Klein, en de ESO-vertegenwoordiger in Chili, Itziar de Gregorio-Monsalvo. Het koningspaar begon hun bezoek met een rondleiding over de bouwplaats van de ELT, onder leiding van ESO's ELT-programmamanager Roberto Tamai. Later bezochten ze SPECULOOS (Search for Planets EClipsing ULtra-cOOl Stars). Dat is een faciliteit in Paranal onder Belgische leiding. Ook zagen ze een aantal faciliteiten van de VLT en diens interferometer (VLTI).

België is een van de vijf oprichters van ESO. Het land heeft in grote mate bijgedragen tot de successen van de organisatie. Verschillende Belgische bedrijven hebben een rol gespeeld in het ontwerp en de bouw van de sterrenkundige faciliteiten van Paranal. Het Belgische AGC heeft bijvoorbeeld de coatingfabrieken voor alle ELT-spiegels geleverd. En AMOS S.A., dat ook heeft bijgedragen aan de ELT, heeft vier hulptelescopen gebouwd waarin de VLTI is geïntegreerd. Bovendien maken Belgische universiteiten deel uit van het METIS-consortium (Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph). METIS is een van de eerste instrumenten die op de ELT gebruikt gaan worden.

Contacts

Bárbara Ferreira
ESO Media Manager
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6670
Email: press@eso.org

About the Announcement

Id:annlang25004-nl-be

Images

De koning en koningin der Belgen bij de ELT
De koning en koningin der Belgen bij de ELT
De koning der Belgen wordt verwelkomd op Paranal
De koning der Belgen wordt verwelkomd op Paranal
De majesteiten der Belgen op het VLT-platform
De majesteiten der Belgen op het VLT-platform
Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians with ESO representatives in front of the ELT
Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians with ESO representatives in front of the ELT

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