A room with a (very unique) view

Taken near the entrance to Paranal site's Residencia hotel, ESO's motivation behind building advanced telescopes in such remote and challenging locations could not be clearer. The spectacular sky, free from light pollution, reveals the secrets usually hidden in areas populated by humans. The splash of the Milky Way to the left dwarfs the little blotches of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds to the right. Strict regulations are in place to maintain these conditions, and the lights on the left are needed to mark the sides of the road because cars are not allowed to use their headlights. Palm fronds are not a typical part of the desert skyline, but this particular one was replanted outside after it grew too large to remain inside la Residencia. Unfortunately, the harsh conditions of the Atacama desert proved too much, and it did not survive long.