#lasilla

Several moonlit telescopes dot the peaks of ESO's La Silla Observatory, located on the outskirts of the Chilean Atacama desert. The shadow of ESO's 3.6-metre telescope can be seen cast onto the rocky slopes below the Observatory.

Stunning picture of the #milkyway #astronomy

Friends of NASA originally shared:

Milky Way over La Silla, Chile | European Southern Observatory

The Milky Way provides a stunning backdrop to the 2-meter-diameter radio antenna on the La Silla weather tower.

Credit: L. Zychova/ESO

Release Date: February 24, 2017

+European Southern Observatory (ESO)

This striking picture of the New Technology Telescope (NTT) was taken just after sunset at ESO's La Silla Observatory, located in the Norte Chico in outskirts of the Chilean Atacama Desert. The Moon has already begun its journey across the evening sky, and is shining brightly overhead. The Sun dips below the horizon to the left of the frame, soaking the clouds in a rich orange colour.

On 2 July 2019 a total solar eclipse passed over ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. The eclipse lasted roughly two and a half hours, with almost two minutes of totality at 20:39 UT, and was visible across a narrow band of Chile and Argentina. To celebrate this rare event ESO invited 1000 people, including dignitaries, school children, the media, researchers, and the general public, to come to the Observatory to watch the eclipse from this unique location.