At ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile’s Atacama Desert, visitors can experience some of the darkest and clearest night skies on Earth, feeling almost within reach of the stars. In a stunning display, the Milky Way’s center appears as a cosmic dragon under these pristine conditions.
Meanwhile, the Very Large Telescope (VLT) uses dazzling laser beams to create artificial stars, enabling it to capture breathtaking cosmic details. With its mesmerizing staircase and surreal views, Paranal offers an unforgettable, almost otherworldly connection to the universe.
A Gateway to the Stars in Chile
Short of traveling to space, it’s hard to imagine feeling closer to the stars than standing atop the staircase at ESO’s Paranal Observatory. Located 2,635 meters above sea level, plus a few dozen steps, in Chile’s Atacama Desert, Paranal offers a view of the night sky unlike anywhere else. Thanks to some of the darkest skies on Earth, a breathtaking tapestry of stars emerges here, many of them hidden from view at other observatories.
Milky Way Magic: A Cosmic Dragon
Gazing upward, the center of the Milky Way takes on an extraordinary form, appearing like a dragon with a fiery, orange tongue stretching across the night. Yet the only thing sneaking up on visitors at Paranal is the overwhelming beauty of the stars above.
High-Tech Stargazing: Laser Guide Stars
Scenes like this are just part of an ordinary night for ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), based at Paranal. The bright yellow beams visible in the sky are laser guide stars, launched from the VLT (just outside the frame to the right). These lasers create artificial stars high in Earth’s atmosphere, allowing the telescope’s adaptive optics system to correct for atmospheric distortion and capture incredibly sharp images of the cosmos.
A Stairway to Infinity
The staircase itself provides access to the VLT’s smaller Auxiliary Telescopes, but it’s also a favorite spot for unforgettable views and photographs. Standing here, with the vast universe overhead, it truly feels like just a few steps separate Earth from the stars.
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