Zprávy

Celebrations held as dome of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope reaches its peak

16. dubna 2025

ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) recently hit an important symbolic milestone: with the structure of one of the dome’s sliding doors now fully installed — and much of the other also up — construction on the ELT dome has reached its highest point. The occasion was celebrated today in Garching, Germany, where ESO hosted an event at its headquarters for industrial and institutional partners, as well as at the construction site atop Cerro Armazones in Chile, in what is known as the Topping Out — or Roofing — Ceremony.  

This ceremony, also known as the Tijerales in Chile, featured ESO and Chilean flags being raised atop the telescope dome, and a traditional barbecue for the hardworking people at the construction site. The Tijerales was attended by Governor Ricardo Díaz, representing the Antofagasta Region, where the ELT is located. In Garching, the event featured presentations, networking and a lunch buffet, with several of the industries that have participated in the design, construction and integration of ELT components joining the celebration. A live stream was set up between the two events, allowing teams from both continents to share the success of the ELT’s construction, as the project recently passed the 60% completed milestone.  

This transatlantic celebration was attended by many of the people who have been brought together by their work on the ELT. Such an ambitious project has only been made possible through the continued support of ESO Member and Partner States, including the project’s various institutional and industrial partners and the many ESO people involved in making it a reality.   

The Topping Out Ceremony is believed to have originated in ancient Scandinavia and takes place on construction sites globally. The Chilean custom includes a flag being placed at the highest point, while in many other countries (including in the German Richtfest), this is replaced by a wreath, tree branches, or evergreen garlands. Despite their differences, most versions of the event include a well-deserved meal for those directly involved in the construction project.   

As the world’s largest eye on the sky continues to be built, we look forward to celebrating future milestones on the path to first light. Once operational, ESO’s ELT will observe the cosmos from a unique place on Earth. Thanks to its technological prowess and the pristine dark skies above Armazones, the ELT will revolutionise what we know about our Universe.

Kontakty

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

O zprávě

Id:ann25002

Obrázky

Reaching the top of the ELT dome
Reaching the top of the ELT dome
Group photo: ESO staff and representatives of ELT’s institutional and industrial partners
Group photo: ESO staff and representatives of ELT’s institutional and industrial partners
Governor of Antofagasta and ESO staff in front of ESO's ELT
Governor of Antofagasta and ESO staff in front of ESO's ELT
Sunrise behind the ELT
Sunrise behind the ELT
A night image of a partially-built telescope under the stars. The image uses a distorted projection, which creates a focal point in the centre which is closer to the viewer, and which everything bends around. The middle of the picture is taken up by the dome building of the ELT, with a crane on the right that extends from the bottom right of the image, curving up to the middle of the image at the top. Its tether line splits the image in half horizontally. The dome of the ELT is open, showing the beams that hold the main structure in place, around it, are the beams that will make the doors once panelling is attached to it. Above the ELT on the left is the Milky Way, extending from the horizon about a third of the way up the image, meeting the top of the crane in top middle of the image. The Milky Way looks like a blue and purple wispy cloud, with points of white, the brighter stars.
Fishing for the ELT

Videa

Timelapse of the sun rising behind the ELT
Timelapse of the sun rising behind the ELT

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