ESO’s Paranal Observatory facilities, such as the Residencia, give people who work at the site a welcome shelter from the surrounding inhospitable environment. In spite of that, they also offer interesting options for those who wish to enjoy the stark and silent beauty of the Atacama Desert.
<p>Among these is the Star Track, a walking path which connects the Residencia with the Very Large Telescope (VLT) platform, on the 2600-metre summit of Cerro Paranal. Built in 2001, the Star Track covers about two kilometres in distance and a difference in height of 200 metres. The last part of the track snakes around the west side of the mountain, offering incomparable views.
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This 360-degree panoramic picture is centred facing north, so the right and left edges of the picture correspond to the south. To the north, the VLT control room and part of one of the Unit Telescope enclosures can just be seen peeking over a local bump in the terrain that hides most of the Paranal summit. To the west, clouds cover the Pacific Ocean, only 12 kilometres away. To the east, the facade and dome of the Residencia can be seen in the distance.
ESO/E. Emsellem
CC BY 4.0
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