Science Users Information

These pages are aimed at ESO community astronomers and contain all the information required in order to prepare, execute, process and exploit observations with ESO facilities. They also provide information on the scientific activities taking place at ESO. Details can be accessed via the navigation menu.

ESO Science Announcements

Shaping ESO2020+ Together: Users Poll

Published: 19 Dec 2014

The ESO Science Prioritisation Working Group has been tasked with reviewing the ESO programme from a scientific perspective. To tension the current and planned programme against new possibilities, the Working Group has today launched a poll, so that you can share with us your scientific priorities.

Go to Announcement

Phase 2 for Period 95

Published: 18 Dec 2014

The allocation of ESO telescope time for Period 95 is expected to be emailed on 22 December 2014. With the release of the telescope schedule, preparation of Service Mode (SM) observations (Phase 2) starts. The deadline for the submission of the Phase 2 material for Period 95 observations is 5 February 2015 for all instruments except VISIR.

Go to Announcement

SPHERE Science Verification

Published: 17 Dec 2014

SPHERE Science Verification (SV) took place from 4 to 11 December 2014 on VLT UT3. Out of 67 submitted proposals, 40 programmes were scheduled for a total of 88.4 hours of observations. Nineteen programmes were completed, with an additional 9 programmes receiving partial data sets. Some more SV time is planned in February 2015 and it is hoped to undertake some of the remaining 12 observing programmes.

Go to Announcement

E-ELT Two-Phase Construction

Published: 17 Dec 2014

As announced in the Organisation Release eso1440, the ESO Council has approved the construction of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) in two phases and authorised spending of around one billion euros for the first phase. This first phase will cover the construction costs of a fully working telescope with a suite of powerful instruments and first light targeted in ten years. The context for this decision is reported in an article (PDF) in the December issue of The Messenger.

Go to Announcement

Exchange of FORS2 Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector

Published: 16 Dec 2014

The coatings of the FORS2 linear atmospheric dispersion corrector (LADC) prisms have degraded, so it was decided to replace them with the uncoated prisms of the twin FORS1 LADC. The exchange took place on 10 November 2014 and the performance of the prisms has been extensively tested.

Go to Announcement

View All | RSS RSS | Subscribe to Science Newsletter

The Messenger

The Messenger No. 158 is now available. Highlights include:

  • T. de Zeeuw et al. Constructing the E-ELT
  • F. Primas et al. Fifteen Years of Service Mode Operations: Closing the Loop with the Community
  • S. Moehler et al. Flux Calibration of Medium Resolution Spectra from 300 nm to 2500 nm
  • Y.-P. Chen et al. The X-shooter Spectral Library (XSL) and its First Data Release
  • P. Rosati et al. CLASH-VLT: A VIMOS Large Programme to Map the Dark Matter Mass Distribution in Galaxy Clusters

You can subscribe to the hardcopy of The Messenger or browse the complete archive of issues.

The ESO Science Newsletter

The December 2014 issue is now available.

The ESO Science Newsletter, mailed approximately once per month, presents the most recent announcements. Subscription is controlled through the Manage Profile link on the User Portal. Back issues (2013-) are archived.