Paranal in pebbles

A cracked mud puddle near the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) at the Paranal site in Chile. Such "puddles" are common — the area is so dry and arid that any rain fall is short-lived, drying so quickly that the mud splits and crumbles, leaving this characteristic patchwork effect. Some playful astronomer or technician left a helpful sign in the mud for the photographer (ESO Photo Ambassador, Heiko Sommer) to capture — including a scant arrow pointing towards the barely visible VLT itself, at the crest of the hill.