Mastodawn

A new solar system in the making?

Last year, astronomers detected a newborn planet orbiting the star WISPIT 2. After another object was identified near the star, ESO’s Very Large Telescope and the VLT Interferometer confirmed that this was another planet.

This is the second time that multiple planets have been directly observed forming around their host star.

📷 ESO/C. Lawlor, R. F. van Capelleveen et al.

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

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ESO 2d ago

The image was taken with the MUSE instrument at the VLT, which captures a spectrum at every single point within its field of view. In other words: it can image extended regions at thousands of different colours or wavelengths simultaneously, allowing astronomers to map the composition and motion of these regions in great detail.

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ESO 2d ago

The Triangulum galaxy up close 👀

Located about 3 million light-years away, this nearby galaxy was captured in the festive-looking image below with ourVery Large Telescope (VLT).

The colours represent different elements: blue, green and red indicate the presence of oxygen, hydrogen and sulphur, respectively. But there's more than meets the eye in this image... 1/

📷 ESO/A. Feltre, F. Belfiore, G. Cresci et al.

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

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ESO Mar 16

Besides the obvious impact on astronomical observations, damaging the night sky threatens to collapse nocturnal ecosystems and will impact humans too. We support submissions to the FCC by other astronomical organisations, and we will follow up the eventual responses from SpaceX and Reflect Orbital. 4/4

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ESO Mar 16

Reflect Orbital plans to use a constellation of space mirrors to reflect sunlight to Earth at night. Each beam would be four times brighter than the full Moon and would also contaminate areas outside the beam. Their planned 50,000 mirrors would make the night sky three to four times brighter. 3/

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ESO Mar 16

Space-X applied to launch one million satellites to act as data centres. Brightness estimates show that thousands would be visible to the naked eye, many more than visible stars. On average, each image with our Very Large Telescope would lose 10% of data due to satellite trails. 2/

ESO Mar 16

Reflect Orbital and SpaceX have filed proposals with the US Federal Communications Commission that threaten ground-based astronomy. We submitted replies and collaborated with the UK Royal Astronomical Society & the International Astronomical Union for their responses. 1/

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

ESO Mar 16

Reaching for the stars!

Chilean astrophotographer Alexis Trigo captured the VLT Unit Telescope 4, shooting its laser beams to create artificial stars high up in the atmosphere.

This allows astronomers to correct for atmospheric turbulence that blurs data: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2611a/

📷 ESO/A. Trigo

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #astrophotography #space #science

ESO Mar 13

On the occasion of Chile’s Astronomy Day we will launch the first public night visit tours at our La Silla and Paranal observatories! This is the first programme of this kind in #Chile, an opportunity to enjoy the planet’s most pristine dark skies 🤩

🗓️ At least 8 dates per year
🎫 Free
🔭 First visit: Paranal on 21 March
🚌 Transportation from different cities in the Antofagasta & Coquimbo regions included

https://www.eso.org/public/announcements/annlang26003-es-cl/

📷 A. Trigo/ESO

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

ESO Mar 13

Our Extremely Large Telescope is already 70% complete!

But what would you see if you walked inside it today? The latest Chasing Starlight episode takes you there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IUeLqC-xpo

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science #engineering #chile

Inside the world's largest telescope: it's progressing fast!

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website	https://www.eso.org
YouTube	https://www.youtube.com/@ESOobservatory
Chasing Starlight	https://www.youtube.com/@ESOChasingStarlight