Visit of Chilean Science Minister to ESO’s ELT construction site in 2021

On July 28, 2021, Andrés Couve, Chile's Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, visited the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) works at Cerro Armazones, as well as ESO's Paranal Observatory, from where the future ELT will be operated. Jean-Michel Bonneau, Interim Representative ESO in Chile, and Andreas Kaufer, ESO Director of Operations, accompanied Minister Couve and his entourage on a tour of the ESO facilities. 

During his visit, Minister Couve was able to see the progress in the construction of the ELT, as shown in this image taken from the site, and tour the Very Large Telescope (VLT) platform at ESO's Paranal Observatory, 20km from the ELT. When the ELT begins its observations in the coming decade it will become the largest optical/infrared telescope in the world. 

From left to right: ESO Representative in Chile, Jean-Michel Bonneau, ELT Engineer Georges Saint-Martory, Chilean Science Minister Andrés Couve and Regional Relations Officer, Bárbara Núñez.

More information is available in Spanish in this announcement.