Dome of the Residencia

Pictured here is a dome built into the roof of the Residencia, the hotel that serves as home for staff and astronomers working at ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) at the Paranal Observatory. The dome is 35 metres in diameter and covers the indoor garden inside the building, allowing sunlight to enter during the day. The garden, which includes a swimming pool, is just one of the leisure facilities in the Residencia that create a relaxing oasis for its inhabitants, amid the harsh desert surroundings. The glamorous interior of the award-winning building was also used as a backdrop for part of the James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace". This picture taken from outside the Residencia also displays the breathtaking skies at this location in the Atacama Desert, with the majestic arc of the Milky Way overhead.