Home near the mountain

The dome of light visible in the foreground is set into the roof of the Paranal Residencia, the hotel where staff and astronomers working at ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) stay. The dome measures 35 metres across, and sits above the indoor garden, which is one of several leisure facilities that make the Residencia a relaxing oasis amid the harsh desert surroundings. The laser light visible in the distance is sent up from Unit Telescope 4 (Yepun) of the VLT, which sits atop the 2600-metre high mountain Cerro Paranal. The laser light creates an artificial guide star for the Adaptive Optics system, sophisticated technology that corrects the blurring effects of Earth's atmosphere to produce higher resolution images. The majestic band of our galaxy the Milky Way arcs across the sky, demonstrating the exceptional viewing conditions at Paranal, which enjoys about 300 clear nights per year.