Advancing astronomy one laser at a time

ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) at Paranal Observatory, Chile, is the world's most advanced optical instrument. The VLT uses state-of-the-art technology to provide the sharpest possible images, including adaptive optics with the laser guide stars shown in this image. The VLT uses these lasers to measure the turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere, and responds by changing the shape of a mirror to counteract the negative effects of this turbulence.