ESO Search for Potential Astronomical Sites (ESPAS) Working Group Terms of Reference



Terms of Reference

The creation of Working Group on Alternative Sites was decided by Council during its April 19, 1995 meeting, with the task of proposing alternatives for the possible placement of one VLT telescope or the entire VLT/VLTI (ESO/Cou-549).

During its June Meeting, Council reiterated the resolution to pursue, until further notice, and through the ad-hoc Working Group set up in response to the decision by Council in its meeting on 19 April 1995, the ongoing comparative study of first-class astronomical site in the world (Annex 2 to ESO-Cou-559).

In the minutes of the same meeting, it is stated that the Working Group will report to the Director General. The ESO executive will then prepare a document based on the report of that committee, to be discussed by Council.

M. Sarazin, A. Renzini, August 25, 1995



Further Comments

In January 1996, when asked whether the espas working group still had a reason to be when VLT site problems in Chile are definitely settled, Massimo Tarenghi answered that studying other sites inevitably improves the knowledge of the one we operate, citing as an example:

<< we started to understand La Silla when we were monitoring Paranal, so no wonder that we will better know Paranal when studying Antartica >>



Thu Jan 18 14:51:33 MEZ 1996