ESO Science Announcements

First Public Release of the ELT Guide Star Catalogue Version 1.0 (ELT-GSC1.0)

The ELT-GSC1.0 is the first public release of the all-sky reference catalogue that will support guiding and adaptive-optics (AO) operations of ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and its first-generation instruments, including MICADO and the MORFEO multi-conjugate AO module. It is built directly on the JWST Guide Star Catalogue version 3.1 (GSC3.1), kindly made fully available to ESO by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI).

Release of Deep MUSE Mosaic of NGC 1427A in the Fornax Cluster

This new data release provides a deep VLT/MUSE integral-field spectroscopic mosaic of the dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 1427A in the Fornax Cluster. The release consists of a reduced and calibrated MUSE data cube covering the wavelength range 470–935 nm together with an associated white-light image. The dataset combines 67 observations obtained between 2015 and 2023 under ESO programmes 094.B-0612(A), 110.23VM.001, and 111.24R5.001, for a total exposure time of 44.7 ks. 

Issue 196 of The Messenger is Available Online

The latest Edition of ESO's Science and Technology Journal, The Messenger, is now available online. In this issue 196 readers will find articles highlighting the latest scientific discoveries, technological developments, and community activities across ESO and its Member and Partner States. From advances in astronomical instrumentation and surveys to reports from workshops and collaborative initiatives, The Messenger continues to showcase the breadth and impact of ESO’s facilities on astronomy.

Public Release of VLT/MUSE Integral Field Spectroscopy

This is the public release of VLT/MUSE integral field spectroscopy observations of a 3'x8' mosaic along the southern major axis of the Local Group spiral galaxy M33, obtained under ESO Programme 109.22XS.001 (PI: G. Cresci). The observations were carried out in seeing-limited wide-field mode (WFM), covering the nominal wavelength range 4750 and 9350 Å .

Record Number of Proposals Submitted for ALMA Cycle 13

ALMA is pleased to report on the extraordinary response to the Cycle 13 Call for Proposals, which closed on 23 April 2026. Cycle 13 received a total of 1,843 proposals, accounting for more than 37,000 hours requested time on the 12-m Array. These numbers set a new record, underscoring the high level of competition for ALMA.

Extended Deadline: High Angular Resolution Science with Next-Generation Optical-Infrared Capabilities at ESO - Exploiting MAVIS and ELT Instruments in the 2030s, ESO Garching, 1-4 September 2026

This international conference, jointly organised by ESO, INAF - Arcetri and Macquarie University, aims to bring together the diverse scientific communities developing and preparing to exploit these instruments. Although each facility has unique strengths - MAVIS pushing diffraction-limited performance into the visible on an 8-m telescope, and the ELT instruments delivering unmatched infrared sensitivity and resolution on a 39-m aperture - their science cases are deeply complementary.

Joël Vernet Appointed as ELT Programme Scientist

The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is proceeding rapidly with expected first telescope light in 2029 and first science light in late 2030. To oversee the scientific coordination of this facility, Joël Vernet has been hired as the ELT Programme Scientist through an international call, replacing Michele Cirasuolo.

New Data Release of GRB180728A_SN2018fip

A new spectroscopic dataset of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) 180728A and its associated supernova SN 2018fip is now publicly available through the ESO Science Archive Facility. The release comprises 13 epochs of observations obtained with the X-shooter instrument at ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), covering the evolution of the GRB afterglow and the emergence of the associated supernova. The dataset provides a detailed time series that enables studies of the transition from afterglow-dominated emission to supernova-dominated spectra.

Third Release of VST-OMEGACAM Imaging Products from the Collaboration with INAF

The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) at Paranal is now owned and operated by INAF, which is responsible for processing the data and releasing them via the ESO Archive. Imaging data products included in the current DR3 for a number of projects were obtained using the wide-field camera OmegaCAM with the g, r, i, and z filters.

50 Years of the ESO Fellowship: Pioneers Across Two Continents (1976-2026)

On 17 June 2026, ESO will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Fellowship Programme with events in Garching and Vitacura. The Director General, the Director for Science, and Fellows from across the years will come together to share memories, revisit moments and anecdotes, and reflect on the experiences that have shaped ESO from within.

2025 Chesneau Prize Winners

The 2025 Chesneau prize for the best PhD thesis in High Angular Resolution Astrophysics has been awarded to two outstanding young researchers: Dr. Violeta Gamez Rosas (left image) and Dr. Manon Lallement (right image). Violeta Gamez Rosas is awarded the prize for her ground breaking observations and astrophysical results on the Active Galactic Nucleus NGC1068 with VLTI/MATISSE, VLTI/GRAVITY and ALMA, as featured in a previous ESO press release in 2022. Manon Lallement is awarded the prize for the development of the FIRST-PL instrument at the Subaru Telescope, using photonic lanterns, as well as the first astrophysical results she obtained using this instrument.

Abstract submission open for ESO Workshop “Bridging Horizons: Harnessing ESO’s Current Facilities for the Dawn of Exoplanet Population Studies”, 2-6 November 2026

Observations with the VLT, VLTI, and ALMA have pioneered exoplanet science over the past decade. With upcoming results from ESA missions such as Gaia, PLATO, and Ariel, exoplanet research is entering a transformative era of population-scale characterisation surveys. This workshop will bring the community together to explore how current ESO facilities together with powerful archival resources, can best complement exoplanet demographics, atmospheres, and planet formation at the dawn of population-scale studies.

"Illuminating the Active Universe: Multi-Wavelength and Multi-Messenger Insights into AGN", Garching bei München, 14-17 September 2026

ESO is delighted to announce the upcoming conference Illuminating the Active Universe: Multi-Wavelength and Multi-Messenger Insights into AGN. The conference will be held from in Garching on 14-17 September 2026, on the occasion of the retirement of Paolo Padovani (ESO). It will examine the evolution of Active Galactic Nuclei research from early work on unified schemes of radio-loud sources and BL Lac samples to recent developments in multi-wavelength surveys and multi-messenger observations.

SPHERE Data Now Available for P95 to P109 (April 2015 - September 2022)

The second release of SPHERE (Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch instrument) data processed by the High-Contrast Data Centre (HC-DC) is now available in the ESO Science Archive Facility. SPHERE is designed for high-contrast imaging, low-resolution spectroscopy, and polarimetric characterisation of extrasolar planetary systems. This release provides reduced IRDIS imaging data acquired between ESO Periods P95 and P109 (April 2015 – September 2022), including SPHERE consortium Guaranteed Time Observations.

"VLT/I Beyond 2030": Conference Slides Available and Call for White Papers

As part of the "VLT beyond 2030" process, ESO is issuing a call for white papers for new instruments for VLT/I, with a deadline of 15 January 2027. The process, which began with a conference for which the slides are now available, aims to keep the VLT/I at the forefront of astrophysical research in the coming decades. This is distinct from the Expanding Horizons effort, whose goal is to select the next facility after the ELT.

ALMA: Web-based Observing Tool for Cycle 13 Call and Expected Capabilities during Cycle 14

ALMA is pleased to announce that, for the Cycle 13 Call for Proposals, a web-based interface of the ALMA Observing Tool (OT) will replace the previously used desktop-based OT. The web-based OT offers the same functionality as the desktop-based OT. The new interface offers a modernized and optimized view while retaining the same familiar workflow and structure. Proposal drafts will now be automatically saved within the system, without the need to save local files.

Release of ALMA Band 2 Science Verification Data and Announcement of Intent to Release of Arp 220 Data

The first data release of Band 2 Science Verification data observed on November 2025 are now available on the ALMA Science Portal. The data release consists of the following targets: G31.41+0.31 (spectral scan in Band 2), SPT 0027-50 (spectral scan in Band 2), HR 5907 (full polarization in Band 2).

Expanding Horizons: What Are the Astronomical Challenges of the 2040s, Garching bei München, 13-17 July 2026

ESO's Expanding Horizons process aims to identify the main scientific challenges that will face European astronomers in the 2040s, and the type of transformational ground-based facility that will be required to address these fundamental questions. Following the call for Scientific White Papers in late 2025 -an initiative designed to galvanise the European astronomical community to engage in the Expanding Horizons process- ESO is organizing a community-wide workshop on 13-17 July 2026 at ESO's Headquarters in Garching bei München that will bring together astronomers from a wide range of research backgrounds to present their vision of what the key scientific questions will be 2040s. It will also be a platform to investigate the potential synergies between the different scientific themes, the required facilities and the key enabling technologies needed for the 2040s and beyond.

2026 Users Committee Meeting

The Users Committee (UC) represents ESO's astronomical community at large and acts as an advisory body to the ESO Director General on matters related to the performance, scientific access, operation and data management facilities to the La Silla Paranal Observatory and ALMA. The 50th annual meeting of the UC is scheduled on 27 and 28 April 2026. During the UC meeting updates from ESO and feedback from the user community are exchanged and openly discussed. Each year one topic is explored in more detail and this year the Special Topic session is dedicated to Time Domain: Target of Opportunity and Rapid Response Mode Observations.

EAS Lunch Session LS1 - Getting the Most out of ESO Data: Hands-on Exploration of the ESO Science Archive and Next-Generation Data Processing Tools

Join ESO during lunch on Monday, June 29, at the EAS Annual Meeting in Lausanne for an interactive session dedicated to helping you fully exploit the scientific potential of the ESO Science Archive and data processing tools. Following an introductory overview of recent developments, the session will focus on hands-on exploration and discussion, with ESO staff available to work directly with participants on their specific scientific needs. Whether you are searching for archival observations, revisiting existing datasets, or preparing new analysis workflows, this session will help you identify and efficiently use both raw and science-ready ESO data products.