On November 26, the EU Ambassador to Chile, Claudia Gintersdorfer, together with the Ambassadors of the EU Member States and the European Southern Observatory (ESO), held a meeting with ESO's management team.
During the meeting, information was provided on the operation of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), Very Large Telescope (VLT), and ALMA telescopes, and the importance of preserving the unique environmental conditions of northern Chile (Paranal/Amazonas) that allow astronomical observation was discussed; circumstances that have been key to the deployment of major international scientific projects in recent decades.
The ESO team explained the progress in the construction of the ELT, the largest optical telescope in the world. They also discussed the challenges that would threaten this region, particularly light pollution generated by industrial activities in the area.