Annonces

30 janvier 2019: January 2019 marks 50 years since the publication of the first issue of Astronomy & Astrophysics, which ESO played an important role in founding. Since its inception, Astronomy & Astrophysics has become recognised as a prestigious publication counted amongst the top journals in the field. In January 1969 Astronomy & Astrophysics — known as A&A — published its first issue. This debut was achieved within a year of the first meeting of the founders in April 1968. The motivation behind its creation was to unite the individual astronomy publications of the founding European member states into a single larger journal, garnering increased recognition worldwide. In the 50 intervening years, A&A has grown into a highly influential publication. Though itself only a few years older than A&A, ESO played a significant role in its establishment; as an existing European intergovernmental astronomy organisation, ESO was able to lend its legal status to ...

29 janvier 2019: On 28 March 2019, ESO will participate in Germany’s Girls’ Day activities, in which technology companies, universities and research organisations open their doors to female school students to give them an insight into scientific and technological professions — encouraging more of them to choose careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Places for the event are limited. To register, please visit the Girls’ Day website. The ESO Girls’ Day will introduce the work of ESO and highlight many of our daily activities, such as astrophysical research, mechanical and optomechanical design and integration, operations, and much more. The programme includes introductory talks as well as hands-on workshops on astronomy and engineering. The students will learn how astronomical instruments are built, tested and operated. They will also learn how data are collected and used in astronomical research to answer the big questions about the Universe. This will provide the students ...

16 janvier 2019: Work on the elaborate optics of ESO’s 39-metre Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) has taken a major step forwards following the successful casting, annealing, ceramization, machining and acid-etching of the substrate for the ELT’s secondary mirror, M2. This massive 3-ton mirror blank has been successfully machined from a slab of the low-expansion ceramic material ZERODURⓇ into its near-final form by the German company SCHOTT [1]. The creation of this technological masterpiece was a challenging process, requiring state-of-the-art CNC machines to correctly grind the mirror blank. Now, safely stowed in an extra-large transport box, the blank is being shipped to France for final grinding and polishing by Safran Reosc. Despite being the ELT’s secondary mirror, M2 still has an impressive diameter of 4.25 meters — larger than the primary mirror of many astronomical telescopes operating today. Following sixteen months of precision manufacturing at SCHOTT, M2 will now receive its final touches — ...

14 janvier 2019: The Royal Observatory Greenwich, in association with Insight Investment and BBC Sky at Night Magazine, has announced the key dates for the Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2019 competition — its annual global search for the most beautiful and spectacular visions of the cosmos, whether they are striking pictures of vast galaxies millions of light-years away, or dramatic images of the night sky much closer to home. ESO supports the 2019 competition by providing a judge from its education and Public Outreach Department (ePOD). Now in its 11th year, the highly popular competition opens to entrants on 14 January 2019, giving them the chance to take home the grand prize of £10 000. Entrants will have until 8 March 2019 to enter up to ten images in the various categories of the competition. Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2019 has nine main categories: Skyscapes: Landscape and ...

11 janvier 2019: Before the scientific discoveries made using ESO telescopes can find themselves on your screen, they pass through the expert hands of talented visual artists and composers. This new ESOcast is the twelfth episode of ESO’s Chile Chill, a series of striking videos that immerse you in the world of astronomy. In Chile Chill 12 — Fire in the Heavens, the evocative tunes of ESO’s Music Ambassador Dimitris Polychroniadis are set to stunning visuals from ESO’s expansive video archive. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a stellar walk through the Universe on the border between science and art. You can subscribe to the ESOcasts on iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other ESOcast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles to the ESOcast in multiple languages.

20 décembre 2018: Since the ESO Council gave their “green light” to start the construction of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) in 2014, the programme has been advancing rapidly. To date, almost 90% (by value) of the external contracts have been awarded for the design and manufacture of the telescope, optics, components and instruments. ESO continuously monitors the performance of ongoing contracts and the schedule of the programme. With the facts available today, ESO has assessed the current situation of the ongoing work and the tight schedule for the products and activities still to be procured. In light of this, ESO has decided to revise the ELT’s baseline schedule. As a result, First Light, previously scheduled for the end of 2024, is currently planned for the end of 2025. Despite the postponement of the First Light, the schedules committed to in all running contracts and agreements with the ELT industrial contractors and institute ...

20 décembre 2018: HARMONI, one of the first-light instruments for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), has successfully completed the Preliminary Design Review process (PDR). During a week of intense discussions with the HARMONI consortium at the end of 2017, ESO and community experts examined whether the instrument could achieve its highly ambitious science goals. They assessed the design of the instrument's optics, mechanics, software, and electronics, as well as its operational concepts — in the process identifying some technical issues which required further work. The HARMONI team has since then completed all the tasks identified by the Review and the instrument has now formally passed its PDR. By completing this vital step, the instrument can progress to the detailed design phase, aiming to be ready for cutting-edge observations when the ELT sees first light. As well as passing this major milestone, HARMONI is also set to gain a powerful new adaptive optics system. ...

19 décembre 2018: Congratulations to Norédine Benazdia from France who has won ESO’s public competition to witness the 2019 total solar eclipse in person from ESO’s La Silla Observatory . Norédine will travel to Chile at the end of June 2019 and will also visit Cerro Paranal, home of ESO’s Very Large Telescope and two survey telescopes, Chajnantor, home of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international partnership, and possibly also Cerro Armazones, where the world’s biggest eye on the sky is under construction. The jury selected Norédine as the winner of the competition for the creative, fun, and informative video that he produced to wish our La Silla Observatory a happy 50th anniversary. We invite you to watch the winning video here and also to check out the other video entries we received by looking at the #LaSilla50Years hashtag on Twitter and Instagram. We would like to congratulate all the participants ...

11 décembre 2018: ESO’s fifth Director General, Riccardo Giacconi, passed away on Sunday 9 December 2018 at the age of 87. Riccardo Giacconi led ESO from 1993 to 1999, at a crucial time in the organisation’s history. ESO was constructing what is now its flagship facility, the Very Large Telescope (VLT), on Cerro Paranal, and starting the partnership that would become the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The successes of these years, and in particular the construction of the VLT, put ESO on the path to being the world-leading astronomical organisation that it is today. Riccardo Giacconi was born in Genova, Italy on 6 October 1931. He obtained both a degree in Physics and his PhD from the University of Milan. In 1956, two years after receiving his PhD, Giacconi moved to Indiana University, USA and then on to Princeton University, USA to work at the Princeton Cosmic Ray Laboratory. Following his time ...

7 décembre 2018: The New Adaptive Optics Module for Interferometry (NAOMI) has seen first light after being installed on all four 1.8-metre Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs) of ESO’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. By introducing state-of-the-art adaptive optics technology, NAOMI has improved the imaging capabilities of the VLTI to unprecedented levels, giving the VLTI’s powerful scientific instruments such as GRAVITY a clearer view of the Universe than ever. The VLTI is a mode of ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) that can combine up to all four ATs or the 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes of the VLT to create a virtual telescope with a diameter of up to 130 metres, allowing incredibly high-resolution observations. Using the VLTI, astronomers can study stellar surfaces, active galactic nuclei, young stars, and a variety of other intriguing astronomical objects. To combat the effects of atmospheric turbulence on the quality of the observations performed by ...

4 décembre 2018: To coincide with the 2019 Total Solar Eclipse, eight social media users have been hand-picked from the pool of users that have signed up for the competition to attend ESO’s second #MeetESO social media gathering. The winners of the competition have been selected based on their social media presence and their creativity, dedication, and passion for sharing interesting and relevant content about astronomy and ESO with their communities. The winners are, in alphabetical order: Eric Benedetti, United States of America. Eric can be found on Instagram and Facebook. Paul Davies, United Kingdom. Paul can be found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Guillaume Doyen, France. Guillaume can be found on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on his blog. Tara Foster, Ireland/Australia. Tara can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on her blog. Olivia Haider, Austria. Olivia can be found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Felipe Hime Miranda, Brazil. Felipe can ...

3 décembre 2018: Our January–March 2019 programme for the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre is now available online, and the exciting lineup of activities and shows for this period can be booked online. Starting with the first quarter of 2019, visitors wishing to book a place at a planetarium show or guided tour, or attend a public event, will have to purchase a ticket. Entrance to the exhibition and our educational programme remain free of charge. The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre programme changes every three months, giving visitors the chance to experience new aspects of astronomy each time they visit. The January–March programme features new additions to the exciting range of planetarium shows screened in the ESO Supernova’s state-of-the-art digital planetarium, as well as a wonderful array of special events. With our new planetarium show Aurora: Lights of Wonder, we invite visitors to experience the wonder and majesty of the ...

30 novembre 2018: The latest issue of the free magazine Science in School is now available online and in printed form. This European journal for science teachers offers up-to-date information on cutting-edge science, teaching materials and projects in science education, interviews with inspiring scientists and teachers, reviews of books and other resources, and many other useful resources for science teachers. It aims to promote science teaching by encouraging communication between teachers, scientists and everyone else involved in European science education. Some of the highlights of this issue include: a review of the upcoming changes to the formal definitions of SI base units, due in May 2019; an article about the futuristic applications of thermophilic microorganisms; and an introduction to a powerful new diagnostic technology using full-colour X-ray scans. Teaching activities include: an activity building a loudspeaker using simple materials; a calorimetry experiment using nutshells for bioenergy; and a guide to organising a science ...

22 novembre 2018: ESO designs, builds and operates some of the most advanced telescopes and instruments in the world. To achieve this, the organisation employs a host of talented engineers who design, develop and maintain these sensitive machines. ESO engineers excel in everything from traditional disciplines like mechanical, electrical and software engineering to more specific areas, such as optics, detector systems, and cryogenic engineering. But what exactly does all this involve? In this ESOcast, our innovative engineers talk about their cutting-edge work: what they do, why it matters, and what it’s like to work at the forefront of astronomical technology. You can subscribe to the ESOcasts on iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other ESOcast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles to the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube.

20 novembre 2018: The European Science Cluster of Astronomy & Particle physics ESFRI research infrastructures (ESCAPE) project has received funding of €16 million through the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme of the European Union [1] and will be launched in the first quarter of 2019. By bringing together key pan-European astronomy and particle physics facilities on the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) Roadmap the ESCAPE project will address the challenges in open science and data accessibility faced by European researchers. The ESCAPE project will combine the efforts of participating institutions to make data and software in multi-messenger astronomy and accelerator-driven particle physics open, accessible and interoperable. Led by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), over the course of 42 months, ESCAPE will drive collaboration between 31 European scientific and industry partners to answer critical questions of open science and data innovation in data-driven scientific research. “The name ESCAPE ...

15 novembre 2018: On the occasion of both the 2019 total solar eclipse visible from Chile and La Silla Observatory’s 50th anniversary, we are organising a competition to win a fully-paid trip to the ESO sites in Chile. The competition runs from today until 9 December and invites participants to submit a video anniversary message for La Silla. This competition is part of the La Silla Total Solar Eclipse campaign, #LaSillaTSE. On 2 July 2019, ESO’s La Silla Observatory will be temporarily shrouded in darkness as the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun, causing a total solar eclipse. Through the competition launched today, we offer the winner a chance to view the eclipse from a truly unique spot and to visit our sites in Chile. After witnessing the eclipse from La Silla, the winner will travel to Cerro Paranal, home of ESO’s Very Large Telescope and two survey telescopes, to Chajnantor, ...

9 novembre 2018: The 24th issue of the Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal is out now! In this issue you will find information about the launch of the International Astronomical Union's 100th anniversary celebrations. Also, you will find articles exploring the uses of technology in astronomy communication, including virtual observatories, virtual reality technologies, video and animations. All of this, and more, is featured in this free, peer-reviewed journal for astronomy communicators — available now for download.

1 novembre 2018: Following a thorough assessment, the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB — Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen) has awarded the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre the gold certificate for sustainability. This award recognises the ways in which the ESO Supernova adheres to high standards of sustainability. The council assessed the building in six different categories: environmental, economic, sociocultural and functional, technology, processes and location. The award takes into account not only the conservation of energy and use of sustainable materials, but also features such as the comfort of those who visit and work in the centre. The DGNB concluded that the ESO Supernova is so committed to sustainability that it meets the requirements for a gold certificate. Visitors to the centre can see the plaque acknowledging the ESO Supernova’s gold standard by the front entrance. More Information The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor ...

26 octobre 2018: L’ESO organise son deuxième rassemblement des réseaux sociaux au Chili, en même temps que l’éclipse solaire totale de 2019. Elle sera visible depuis l’Observatoire de La Silla, #LaSillaTSE. Nous invitons tous les aficionados de média sociaux des différents pays du réseau de communication scientifique de l’ESO (ESON pour ESO Science Outreach Network) à participer à la compétition pour gagner une des huit places pour #MeetESO. Les gagnants devront se rendre au Chili par leurs propres moyens. #MeetESO emmènera les participants à l’Observatoire de La Silla, en périphérie du désert Atacama au Chili. Ils y auront la possibilité de se joindre à d’autres passionnés pour observer l’éclipse solaire totale et visiter le site de La Silla (#LaSillaTSE), le premier observatoire de l’ESO. Ce phénomène céleste de 2019 sera la seule éclipse solaire totale visible depuis un observatoire de l’ESO pour les 212 prochaines années. Depuis La Silla, les participants voyageront ensuite ...

25 octobre 2018: Simetría, a new ambitious residential Science-Art exchange programme, allows artists to carry out their artistic enquiry in relation to astronomy and particle physics at some of the world’s most important scientific research centres. The residence gives artists the opportunity to explore scientific ideas and technological concepts while engaging in innovative discourses to further their artistic expression. The Chilean artist Nicole L’Huillier and the Swiss artist Alan Bogana have been selected from a list of nominations by a jury of art and science experts. They will be invited to carry out their residences in Switzerland at CERN, the European laboratory for particle physics, and in Chile at European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and ALMA. “I am very happy that the VLT and ALMA are part of this initiative because the arts and sciences raise spirits and remind us of the importance of treasuring the dimension of creativity, curiosity and ...