ESO
@eso.org
The European Southern Observatory designs, builds & operates world-class observatories on the ground for the benefit of society. More info on eso.org
#TourESO 📹🔴 Settled into a cosy spot and grabbed a snack 🥙? Fantastic, because the next virtual tour of ESO's Paranal Observatory is going live in just 5 minutes!
Streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESOobservatory/
📷 Iztok Boncina/ESO
Streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESOobservatory/
📷 Iztok Boncina/ESO
January 10, 2026 at 1:56 PM
#TourESO 📹🔴 Settled into a cosy spot and grabbed a snack 🥙? Fantastic, because the next virtual tour of ESO's Paranal Observatory is going live in just 5 minutes!
Streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESOobservatory/
📷 Iztok Boncina/ESO
Streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESOobservatory/
📷 Iztok Boncina/ESO
📹 ESO/P. Kervella/M. Montargès et al., Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgement: E. Pantin, N. Risinger (skysurvey .org).
🎧 J. B. Monell (www.johanmonell. com)
🎧 J. B. Monell (www.johanmonell. com)
January 7, 2026 at 1:02 PM
📹 ESO/P. Kervella/M. Montargès et al., Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgement: E. Pantin, N. Risinger (skysurvey .org).
🎧 J. B. Monell (www.johanmonell. com)
🎧 J. B. Monell (www.johanmonell. com)
Take off to the bright orange star Betelgeuse 🚀🌟
The star underwent an unprecedented dimming in late 2019 and early 2020. Observations later revealed that it was caused by a dusty veil shading the star, due to a drop in temperature on the star's surface.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2109/ 🔭
The star underwent an unprecedented dimming in late 2019 and early 2020. Observations later revealed that it was caused by a dusty veil shading the star, due to a drop in temperature on the star's surface.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2109/ 🔭
January 7, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Take off to the bright orange star Betelgeuse 🚀🌟
The star underwent an unprecedented dimming in late 2019 and early 2020. Observations later revealed that it was caused by a dusty veil shading the star, due to a drop in temperature on the star's surface.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2109/ 🔭
The star underwent an unprecedented dimming in late 2019 and early 2020. Observations later revealed that it was caused by a dusty veil shading the star, due to a drop in temperature on the star's surface.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2109/ 🔭
Out in the Atacama Desert, magic is everywhere: brilliant stars above, and, on the ground, wildlife that sometimes drops by our observatories to say hello. Just like these Vicuñas, a common sight around ALMA.
Get the image: https://www.eso.org/public/images/nik2317-cc/
Get the image: https://www.eso.org/public/images/nik2317-cc/
January 6, 2026 at 8:01 AM
Out in the Atacama Desert, magic is everywhere: brilliant stars above, and, on the ground, wildlife that sometimes drops by our observatories to say hello. Just like these Vicuñas, a common sight around ALMA.
Get the image: https://www.eso.org/public/images/nik2317-cc/
Get the image: https://www.eso.org/public/images/nik2317-cc/
#ESOjobs The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre is looking for an intern to join their team as a Science Presenter, in Garching.
As this is a rolling position, there is no application deadline.
Details at: https://recruitment.eso.org/
Background image by ESO
As this is a rolling position, there is no application deadline.
Details at: https://recruitment.eso.org/
Background image by ESO
January 5, 2026 at 1:01 PM
#ESOjobs The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre is looking for an intern to join their team as a Science Presenter, in Garching.
As this is a rolling position, there is no application deadline.
Details at: https://recruitment.eso.org/
Background image by ESO
As this is a rolling position, there is no application deadline.
Details at: https://recruitment.eso.org/
Background image by ESO
Using APEX, astronomers carried out the CAFFEINE survey, observing many stellar nurseries — including GAL316 👇
They wanted to find out whether denser clouds of gas and dust are more efficient at forming new stars
Here's what they discovered: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2601a/
🔭 🧪
They wanted to find out whether denser clouds of gas and dust are more efficient at forming new stars
Here's what they discovered: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2601a/
🔭 🧪
January 5, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Using APEX, astronomers carried out the CAFFEINE survey, observing many stellar nurseries — including GAL316 👇
They wanted to find out whether denser clouds of gas and dust are more efficient at forming new stars
Here's what they discovered: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2601a/
🔭 🧪
They wanted to find out whether denser clouds of gas and dust are more efficient at forming new stars
Here's what they discovered: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2601a/
🔭 🧪
Let the new year swirl in…
What looks like a vortex of fire is in reality a disc around the young AB Aurigae star.
Close to the centre, the ‘twist’ (in very bright yellow) marks the spot where scientists believe a planet is forming. 🔭
What looks like a vortex of fire is in reality a disc around the young AB Aurigae star.
Close to the centre, the ‘twist’ (in very bright yellow) marks the spot where scientists believe a planet is forming. 🔭
January 1, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Let the new year swirl in…
What looks like a vortex of fire is in reality a disc around the young AB Aurigae star.
Close to the centre, the ‘twist’ (in very bright yellow) marks the spot where scientists believe a planet is forming. 🔭
What looks like a vortex of fire is in reality a disc around the young AB Aurigae star.
Close to the centre, the ‘twist’ (in very bright yellow) marks the spot where scientists believe a planet is forming. 🔭
Join us on a trip to the dwarf star PDS 70, located 400 light-years away and with at least two planets orbiting it.
The final shot shows an ALMA image of the PDS 70 system, where a moon-forming disc is visible around planet PDS 70c.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2111/ 🔭
The final shot shows an ALMA image of the PDS 70 system, where a moon-forming disc is visible around planet PDS 70c.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2111/ 🔭
December 31, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Join us on a trip to the dwarf star PDS 70, located 400 light-years away and with at least two planets orbiting it.
The final shot shows an ALMA image of the PDS 70 system, where a moon-forming disc is visible around planet PDS 70c.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2111/ 🔭
The final shot shows an ALMA image of the PDS 70 system, where a moon-forming disc is visible around planet PDS 70c.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2111/ 🔭
Let’s round off the year with a spectacular burst of cosmic fireworks from the Universe itself: the mix of stars in the stellar cluster known as Terzan 5. Wishing you all a wonderful 2026! 🎇
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1630a/
🔭 #flashback
📷 ESO/F. Ferraro
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1630a/
🔭 #flashback
📷 ESO/F. Ferraro
December 30, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Let’s round off the year with a spectacular burst of cosmic fireworks from the Universe itself: the mix of stars in the stellar cluster known as Terzan 5. Wishing you all a wonderful 2026! 🎇
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1630a/
🔭 #flashback
📷 ESO/F. Ferraro
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1630a/
🔭 #flashback
📷 ESO/F. Ferraro
Credit: ESO
🧑💻 A. Tsaousis
📹 📷 ESO, A. Tsaousis, B. Tafreshi, S. Molyneux, F. Mac Auliffe, ALMA/NAOJ/NRAO/General Dynamics C4 Systems.
🧑💻 A. Tsaousis
📹 📷 ESO, A. Tsaousis, B. Tafreshi, S. Molyneux, F. Mac Auliffe, ALMA/NAOJ/NRAO/General Dynamics C4 Systems.
December 29, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Credit: ESO
🧑💻 A. Tsaousis
📹 📷 ESO, A. Tsaousis, B. Tafreshi, S. Molyneux, F. Mac Auliffe, ALMA/NAOJ/NRAO/General Dynamics C4 Systems.
🧑💻 A. Tsaousis
📹 📷 ESO, A. Tsaousis, B. Tafreshi, S. Molyneux, F. Mac Auliffe, ALMA/NAOJ/NRAO/General Dynamics C4 Systems.
Take a glimpse into APEX, located in Chile’s Atacama Desert 📡👀
Once a joint project of the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR), the Onsala Space Observatory and ESO, APEX now becomes a project solely of the MPIfR.
www.eso.org/public/video...
🔭
Once a joint project of the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR), the Onsala Space Observatory and ESO, APEX now becomes a project solely of the MPIfR.
www.eso.org/public/video...
🔭
December 29, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Take a glimpse into APEX, located in Chile’s Atacama Desert 📡👀
Once a joint project of the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR), the Onsala Space Observatory and ESO, APEX now becomes a project solely of the MPIfR.
www.eso.org/public/video...
🔭
Once a joint project of the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR), the Onsala Space Observatory and ESO, APEX now becomes a project solely of the MPIfR.
www.eso.org/public/video...
🔭
#TourESO 📹🔴 5 more minutes and we'll virtually explore our La Silla Observatory! Will you join us? 🙂
Streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESOobservatory/
📷 B. Wilmart/ESO
Streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESOobservatory/
📷 B. Wilmart/ESO
December 27, 2025 at 1:56 PM
#TourESO 📹🔴 5 more minutes and we'll virtually explore our La Silla Observatory! Will you join us? 🙂
Streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESOobservatory/
📷 B. Wilmart/ESO
Streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESOobservatory/
📷 B. Wilmart/ESO
The Eagle Nebula is a dazzling stellar nursery. In it, a cluster of massive, hot stars, NGC 6611, has just been born.
The powerful light and strong winds from these massive new arrivals are shaping light-year long pillars.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso0926/ 🔭
📷 ESO
The powerful light and strong winds from these massive new arrivals are shaping light-year long pillars.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso0926/ 🔭
📷 ESO
December 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM
The Eagle Nebula is a dazzling stellar nursery. In it, a cluster of massive, hot stars, NGC 6611, has just been born.
The powerful light and strong winds from these massive new arrivals are shaping light-year long pillars.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso0926/ 🔭
📷 ESO
The powerful light and strong winds from these massive new arrivals are shaping light-year long pillars.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso0926/ 🔭
📷 ESO
This animation takes us to a Wolf–Rayet star in NGP–190387, a galaxy so far away its light took over 12 billion years to reach us.
Wolf–Rayet stars are hot and massive, and are thought to end in dramatic supernova explosions.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2115/ 🔭
Wolf–Rayet stars are hot and massive, and are thought to end in dramatic supernova explosions.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2115/ 🔭
December 24, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This animation takes us to a Wolf–Rayet star in NGP–190387, a galaxy so far away its light took over 12 billion years to reach us.
Wolf–Rayet stars are hot and massive, and are thought to end in dramatic supernova explosions.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2115/ 🔭
Wolf–Rayet stars are hot and massive, and are thought to end in dramatic supernova explosions.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2115/ 🔭
In the Atacama Desert, the average annual rainfall barely reaches 15 millimetres.
Yet it does, on very rare occasions, snow, as shown in this 2011 image of our VLT at Cerro Paranal ❄️ 🌨️
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1211a/
🔭 #flashback
📷 ESO/S. Guisard (www.eso.org/~sguisard)
Yet it does, on very rare occasions, snow, as shown in this 2011 image of our VLT at Cerro Paranal ❄️ 🌨️
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1211a/
🔭 #flashback
📷 ESO/S. Guisard (www.eso.org/~sguisard)
December 23, 2025 at 8:01 AM
In the Atacama Desert, the average annual rainfall barely reaches 15 millimetres.
Yet it does, on very rare occasions, snow, as shown in this 2011 image of our VLT at Cerro Paranal ❄️ 🌨️
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1211a/
🔭 #flashback
📷 ESO/S. Guisard (www.eso.org/~sguisard)
Yet it does, on very rare occasions, snow, as shown in this 2011 image of our VLT at Cerro Paranal ❄️ 🌨️
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1211a/
🔭 #flashback
📷 ESO/S. Guisard (www.eso.org/~sguisard)
Happiest of holidays from ESO!
With all the discoveries made, milestones achieved & pictures captured, 2025 has been another successful year. We're excitedly looking ahead for the next one to come.
Until then, we wish you restful holidays and a happy new year!
🔭
📹 ESO
With all the discoveries made, milestones achieved & pictures captured, 2025 has been another successful year. We're excitedly looking ahead for the next one to come.
Until then, we wish you restful holidays and a happy new year!
🔭
📹 ESO
December 22, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Happiest of holidays from ESO!
With all the discoveries made, milestones achieved & pictures captured, 2025 has been another successful year. We're excitedly looking ahead for the next one to come.
Until then, we wish you restful holidays and a happy new year!
🔭
📹 ESO
With all the discoveries made, milestones achieved & pictures captured, 2025 has been another successful year. We're excitedly looking ahead for the next one to come.
Until then, we wish you restful holidays and a happy new year!
🔭
📹 ESO
Very true! Here's a blog post we published a while back about that topic: www.eso.org/public/blog/...
ESOblog: Navigating the stars: the stories behind the Southern Cross
Navigating the stars: the stories behind the Southern Cross
www.eso.org
December 20, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Very true! Here's a blog post we published a while back about that topic: www.eso.org/public/blog/...
Construction of the southern array of CTAO – the world’s largest & most powerful gamma-ray observatory – has kicked off at Paranal.
Read about the groundbreaking ceremony: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2521
Discover CTAO with #ChasingStarlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKRazLrvUNQ
🔭 🧪
Read about the groundbreaking ceremony: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2521
Discover CTAO with #ChasingStarlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKRazLrvUNQ
🔭 🧪
December 18, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Construction of the southern array of CTAO – the world’s largest & most powerful gamma-ray observatory – has kicked off at Paranal.
Read about the groundbreaking ceremony: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2521
Discover CTAO with #ChasingStarlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKRazLrvUNQ
🔭 🧪
Read about the groundbreaking ceremony: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2521
Discover CTAO with #ChasingStarlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKRazLrvUNQ
🔭 🧪
An example of a dark nebula: the Pipe Nebula.
Originally, astronomers believed these were areas with no stars. But dark nebulae actually consist of clouds of interstellar dust so thick it can block out the light from the stars beyond.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1233/ 🔭
📷 ESO
Originally, astronomers believed these were areas with no stars. But dark nebulae actually consist of clouds of interstellar dust so thick it can block out the light from the stars beyond.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1233/ 🔭
📷 ESO
December 18, 2025 at 1:04 PM
An example of a dark nebula: the Pipe Nebula.
Originally, astronomers believed these were areas with no stars. But dark nebulae actually consist of clouds of interstellar dust so thick it can block out the light from the stars beyond.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1233/ 🔭
📷 ESO
Originally, astronomers believed these were areas with no stars. But dark nebulae actually consist of clouds of interstellar dust so thick it can block out the light from the stars beyond.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1233/ 🔭
📷 ESO