Resources by European Southern Observatory

About the European Southern Observatory

This video describes the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world’s most productive astronomical observatory. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the...

An ESO Astronomer's Day

Produced by the European Southern Observatory, this video shows what it is like to be an astronomer. In this video, we go behind the scenes at ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile to illustrate what a day in the life of an ESO staff astronomer is like.

Atacama Large Millimetre/Submillimetre Array (ALMA)

From the European Southern Observatory, this video describes ALMA, the largest astronomical project currently being built.

Atacama Pathfinder Experiment Telescope (APEX)

Produced by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), this video first looks at the Big Bang and evolution of the Universe. It then goes on to show how the ESO are developing an observatory in Chile. The APEX programme is a pathfinder for ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array. This mission will...

Black Hole in the Milky Way

In this video from the European Southern Observatory, we go to the centre of the Milky Way to investigate a supermassive black hole. Two scientists describe a 16-year long study, which used several of ESO’s flagship telescopes, to produce the most detailed view ever of the surroundings of the monster lurking at...

ESO la Silla Observatory

Produced by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), this short video shows the observatory and work done at La Silla, Chile.

ESO’s La Silla Observatory celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009. When it began...

The creation of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in 1962 was the culmination of the dream of leading astronomers from five European countries. Over the years, as more member states joined, ESO constructed the...

First Exoplanet

From the European Southern Observatory (ESO), this video describes how an exoplanet orbiting a star that entered our galaxy, the Milky Way, from another galaxy has been detected. A team of astronomers observed the exoplanet using the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. The Jupiter-...

Galaxies

Produced by the European Southern Observatory, this collection contains spectacular images of galaxies. Images include:
* Spiral galaxy NGC 1232, based on three exposures in ultra-violet, blue and red light, respectively.
* Central parts of the starburst...