Riccardo Giacconi, ESO Director General (1993–1999)

ESO Director General, Riccardo Giacconi, when taking office in 1993.

Prof. Giacconi is famous for his pioneering work in the development and application of X-ray technologies in astronomy, leading to the discovery of the first extra-solar X-ray source. The X-ray satellites UHURU (launched in 1970) and the Einstein Observatory (launched in 1978) are associated with his name. Giacconi served as ESO Director General between 1993 and 1999.

Giacconi received the 2002 Nobel Prize for Physics.