Family Photo

This telescope family photograph was taken just after the sun set over ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. It shows the Very Large Telescope (VLT) array. The faint pinkish glow that appears as a subtle band crossing the centre of the picture is an atmospheric phenomenon known as The Belt of Venus. This phenomenon has nothing to do with our neighbouring planet Venus, but refers to its resemblance to the girdle or belt worn by its eponymous Roman goddess.