Paranal

Paranal is an astronomical observatory located on Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The facility is operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). It sits at an altitude of about 2,635 meters above sea level and benefits from the region’s dry air, low humidity, and a high proportion of clear nights.

Paranal hosts the Very Large Telescope, ESO’s flagship optical and near-infrared facility. The VLT comprises four 8.2-meter Unit Telescopes and four movable 1.8-meter Auxiliary Telescopes. The telescopes can operate independently or combine their light through the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) to achieve very high angular resolution for selected observations.

The site also hosts VISTA (the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy), a 4.1-meter infrared survey telescope, as well as a suite of instruments for spectroscopy, imaging, and adaptive optics.

Paranal supports a broad program of astronomical research, including studies of exoplanets, distant galaxies, star formation, and the interstellar medium. It is a central component of ESO’s network of observatories and has contributed to numerous discoveries and advances in observational astronomy.

Access to Paranal is by road from the Antofagasta region, with a base facility that provides housing, support services, and maintenance for staff and visiting astronomers.