The performance of the star-hopping technique in observations with SPHERE has recently been assessed and described in the instrument's User Manual. It has been shown that this technique can boost the signal-to-noise ratio in exoplanet studies, particularly at small separations (0.1") from the star. In order to encourage future observations exploiting the new technique, DDT observations under programme ID 2103.C-5076 will soon be performed and the data made immediately public on ESO's Science Archive Facility. ESO will inform users through this Science Newsletter once the observations have been completed.

Deep IFU data cubes are now released for a sample of eight nearby edge-on galaxies: ESO 157-49, ESO 443-21, ESO 469-15, ESO 544-27, IC 217, IC 1553, PGC 28308 and PGC 30591. These galaxies were observed with the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) integral field unit at the VLT with the aim of studying the formation mechanism of the thick discs in these objects. These deep science data cubes are characterised by long exposure times, typically three hours, and careful removal of the sky background from the target exposures rather than offset skies. 

The VISTA Magellanic Survey (VMC) led by Principal Investigator Maria-Rosa Cioni aims to determine the spatially resolved star formation history and the three-dimensional geometry of the Magellanic Cloud system. The sensitivity in Y, J and Ks filters has been designed to reach sources below the oldest main-sequence turn-off point of the stellar population and through the multi-epoch coverage to measure accurate Ks mean magnitudes for pulsating variable stars like RR Lyrae and Cepheids. Data Release 5 (DR5), published on 01 Aug 2019, provides the complete set of observations covering the Small Magellanic Cloud field (~40 square degrees), it also includes tiles from the bridge (~20 square degrees) and the stream (3 square degrees) for a total of 42 VMC survey tiles.

Recent observations suggest that the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy is going through a special accretion event. In the framework of the ESA/ESO agreement, coordinated observations with the Very Large Telescope and the XMM-Newton observatory were taken on the night of 31 August 2019. This joint near-infrared and X-ray monitoring effort aims at constraining the physical processes that regulate accretion by supermassive black holes and the subsequent variability in the emission of radiation. To facilitate a prompt and broad exploration of this rich dataset, the ESO data collected with the NACO instrument have been made publicly available at the ESO Science Archive Facility (under Programme ID 2103.B-5061). Further, the XMM-Newton dataset is also publicly available at the XMM-Newton Science Archive.

The Call for Proposals for observations at ESO telescopes in Period 105 (1 April – 30 September 2020) has been released. Please consult the Period 105 document for the main news items and policies related to applying for time on ESO telescopes. All technical information about the offered instruments and facilities is contained on ESO webpages that are linked from the Call. The proposal submission deadline is 12:00 CEST 26 September 2019.