The Very Large Telescope: Europe’s Flagship Observatory

  1. The Very Large Telescope (VLT) is located at Cerro Paranal in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
  2. It is operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
  3. The VLT consists of four Unit Telescopes, each with an 8.2-meter mirror.
  4. These telescopes can work together as an interferometer for ultra-sharp resolution.
  5. Adaptive optics allow the VLT to correct for Earth’s atmospheric blurring.
  6. It has captured detailed images of exoplanets orbiting distant stars.
  7. The VLT played a key role in confirming the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
  8. It also observes supernovae, distant galaxies, and star-forming regions.
  9. The telescopes are named in the Mapuche language: Antu, Kueyen, Melipal, and Yepun.
  10. Since its first light in 1998, the VLT has been one of the world’s most productive observatories.