We have landed on new social media spaces! 📱. Find us on BlueSky & Mastodon. We have also launched broadcast channels on Instagram and WhatsApp, a LinkedIn newsletter, and revived our Threads profile! 🤩. Explore what we’ll be sharing on each channel:

Too large to be made from a single piece, the ELT's 39m main mirror will consist of 798 segments. But how can they work together as one? . Enter the edge sensors and actuators, which adjust misalignments among the segments with a precision of just a couple of nanometres 🤯

📣 Using @almaobs 📡, in which ESO is a partner, astronomers have discovered oxygen in the most distant known galaxy!. This record-breaking detection is making scientists rethink how quickly galaxies formed in the early Universe 🤔. Read more:

📷 ESO analysis confirms the INNA project would have a devastating & irreversible impact on the Paranal Observatory facilities. The increase in light pollution, air turbulence, vibrations & dust would degrade conditions for astronomical observations

To account for some delays here's the new schedule 👇. 🗓️ Telescope first light (test observations) expected in March 2029.🗓️ Instruments installed & commissioned in 2029-2030.🗓️ Scientific first light with the instruments expected for Dec 2030. Read more:

Where are we with the construction of our #ELT?. This video takes you on a drone flight over the site. Go full screen & volume up!. We've also updated the ELT schedule, see below. 1/2. 📹CIMOLAI/S. Petkovic 🎶 Jon Kennedy–Toy Soldiers.

🚨 2024 YR4 asteroid impact update!. After the latest observations conducted with ESO’s VLT & facilities around the world, the odds of the asteroid impacting Earth have dropped to nearly zero. Read more:

Using ESO's #VLT, astronomers have mapped the 3D structure of an exoplanet's atmosphere for the first time. Never before had this been done in such depth and detail. Discover more: Artist's impression by ESO/M. Kornmesser

RT @EIROforum: Happy International Day of #WomenAndGirlsInScience! . To celebrate, our members @CERN @embl @esa @ESO @esrfsynchrotron @Fusi….

The 500-kg M5 mirror of the #ELT will be tipped & tilted 10 times per second, to correct atmospheric blurring. This challenging support component is now being tested at ESO's Headquarters in Garching.

Using ESO's #VLT, astronomers have discovered extremely powerful winds on #exoplanet WASP-127b. The winds reach speeds up to 33 000 km/h, the fastest jetstream of its kind ever measured on a planet!. Discover more: Artist's impression by ESO/L. Calçada

The pale brown belts of Jupiter? Not made of what was long thought. Discover the outcome of the joint study of an amateur astronomer with his telescope & scientists with ESO's #VLT!. 📷 ESO/Irwin et al.

The skies above Paranal are at risk from a proposed industrial megaproject. This would be located in the vicinity of ESO's Observatory. If constructed, it would irreparably impact astronomical observations. Read more: 📷 ESO/P. Horálek

@ctao_universe 2/ How does the CTAO work and what kind of phenomena will it study?. Find out in this ESO blog: Rendering of the CTAO-South site, to be hosted at ESO’s Paranal Observatory 👇

The @ctao_universe will change how we study the Universe at high energies, and it has now become a European Research Infrastructure Consortium!. As a member of CTAO and host of its future southern site, we couldn't be more excited. Read more: 1/

Our congratulations to Spanish astrophysicist Itziar de Gregorio-Monsalvo, who became ESO’s new Representative in Chile and is the first woman to lead this office 👏. Discover Itziar's professional journey, following 18 years with ESO & @almaobs.

Astronomers focus on the sky, but it’s worth looking around our planet, too!. This image, for instance, was taken from Pukará de Quitor, a fortress built 900+ years ago, not far from @almaobs. Discover who built the fortress: 📷 ESO/ @aghizzi

Like mushrooms 🍄, telescopes atop ESO’s La Silla Observatory are bathed in the dim light of the sunset. 👈 The Danish 1.54-metre telescope.👉 The 3 @BlackGEM_Array telescopes. Which cosmic signals do they hunt for? Find out: 📷 ESO/I. Saviane

Under a blanket of snow! 📡🌨️. At the Chajnantor plateau in Chile, temperatures can drop as low as -20°C on winter nights! 🥶 But @almaobs ’s radio antennas are usually unbothered by these chilling conditions 💪. Discover more: 📷 @_ansack /ESO

2/ You can follow the construction of the ELT with our webcams. We have a new one on top of the dome! ➡️