Building on ESO's success | ELT

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head prefix="og: http://ogp.me/ns# fb: http://ogp.me/ns/fb#"><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("https://elt.eso.org/success/buildingon/","20210123234635","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1611445595"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <base target="_top"/> <meta name="robots" content="index,follow"/> <meta name="author" content="information@eso.org"/> <meta name="description" content="The Extremely Large Telescope: The World's Biggest Eye On The Sky"/> <meta name="keywords" content="ESO, eso.org, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Astronomie, Suedsternwarte, telescopes, detectors, comets, planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, universe, NTT, VLT, VLTI, ALMA, ELT, La Silla, Paranal, Garching, Chile"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Building on ESO's success | ELT | ESO"/> <meta property="og:description" content="The Extremely Large Telescope: The World's Biggest Eye On The Sky"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635im_/http://cdn.eso.org/images/screen/header-frontpage.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cdn.eso.org/images/screen/header-frontpage.jpg"> <link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="x-default"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="en-au"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="en-gb"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="en-ie"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="en-us"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="sq"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="cs"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="da"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="nl"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="nl-be"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="fi"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="fr"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="fr-be"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="fr-ch"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="de"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="de-at"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="de-be"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="de-ch"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="el"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="hu"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="is"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="it"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="it-ch"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="nb"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="pl"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="pt-br"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="pt"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="ru"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="es"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="es-cl"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="sr-latn"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="sv"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="tr"/><link rel="alternate" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/success/buildingon/" hreflang="uk"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635im_/https://www.eso.org/public/archives/favicon.ico"/> <title>Building on ESO's success | ELT | ESO</title> <link href="/web/20210123234635cs_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/css/elt_assets.b637ef8e013d.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20210123234635js_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/js/elt_assets.182025e1930f.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <link href="/web/20210123234635cs_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/css/elt_assets_visuals.74a1be7f0547.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20210123234635js_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/js/elt_assets_visuals.9435b563e5c2.js" charset="utf-8"></script>  <script type="text/javascript"> var _paq = window._paq = window._paq || []; /* tracker methods like "setCustomDimension" should be called before "trackPageView" */ _paq.push(['trackPageView']); _paq.push(['enableLinkTracking']); (function() { var u="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/mtmo/"; _paq.push(['setTrackerUrl', u+'matomo.php']); _paq.push(['setSiteId', '2']); var d=document, g=d.createElement('script'), s=d.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; g.type='text/javascript'; g.async=true; g.src=u+'matomo.js'; s.parentNode.insertBefore(g,s); })(); </script>  </head> <body> <nav id="top-navbar" class="navbar top_ fixed-top navbar-dark navbar-expand-sm_ navbar-expand-lg py-2 py-sm-0" style="background-color: #000000;"> <span class="navbar-brand ml-xl-5 p-0 d-flex align-items-center" style="height: 50px;"> <div class="d-block"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/" target="_blank"><img class="navbar-eso-logo" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/eso_logo.jpg"></a> </div> <div class="d-none d-lg-block"> <ul id="navbar-flags" class="mr-lg-2 mt-2_ mt-lg-0 d-none_ d-lg-flex_ d-flex"> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Austria" class="sprites-flag_at"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <span title="Belgium" class="sprites-flag_be"></span> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Czech Republic" class="sprites-flag_cz"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Denmark" class="sprites-flag_da"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Finland" class="sprites-flag_fi"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="France" class="sprites-flag_fr"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Germany" class="sprites-flag_de"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Ireland" class="sprites-flag_ie"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Italy" class="sprites-flag_it"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Netherlands" class="sprites-flag_nl"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Poland" class="sprites-flag_pl"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Portugal" class="sprites-flag_pt"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Spain" class="sprites-flag_es"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Sweden" class="sprites-flag_sv"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="Switzerland" class="sprites-flag_ch"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div title="UK" class="sprites-flag_gb"></div> </li> <li class="nav-item d-flex align-items-center text-center menu-flag-item"> <div style="margin-left: 8px" title="Chile" class="sprites-flag_cl"></div> </li> </ul> </div> </span> <div class="navbar-brand p-0 d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="nav-item_ menu-item_ d-flex d-lg-none align-items-center justify-content-around text-center desktop-top-sm-icons"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://facebook.com/ESOAstronomy" title="ESO on Facebook" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_1.png" alt="ESO on Facebook"> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://twitter.com/#!/ESO" title="ESO on Twitter" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_2.png" alt="ESO on witter"> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.instagram.com/esoastronomy/" title="ESO on Instagram" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_3.png" alt="ESO on Instagram"> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-southern-observatory" title="ESO on LinkedIn" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_4.png" alt="ESO on LinkedIn"> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIhYoC2VIAJqCkoIWNHBQ3Q" title="ESO on YouTube" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_5.png" alt="ESO on YouTube"> </a> </div> </div> <button class="navbar-toggler" type="button" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#navbarNav" aria-controls="navbarNav" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation"> <span class="navbar-toggler-icon"></span> </button> <div class="collapse navbar-collapse d-lg-flex align-items-stretch" id="navbarNav"> <ul class="navbar-nav ml-auto mt-2_ mt-lg-0"> <li class="nav-home nav-item menu-item d-flex d-lg-none align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/">ELT HOME</a> </li> <li class="nav-about nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top menu-item d-flex d-lg-none align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/">ABOUT</a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0"> <a class="nav-about-about dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/">About the ELT</a> <a class="nav-about-timeline dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/timeline/">Timeline</a> <a class="nav-about-location dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/location/">Location</a> <a class="nav-about-facts dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/facts/">Facts</a> <a class="nav-about-road dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/road/">Road to the ELT</a>  <a class="nav-about-team dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/team/">Meet the Team</a> <a class="nav-about-industrial dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/industrial/">Industrial and Institutional Partners</a> <a class="nav-about-faq dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/faq/">FAQ</a> </div> </li> <li class="nav-telescope nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top menu-item d-flex d-lg-none align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/">TELESCOPE</a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0"> <a class="nav-telescope-telescope dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/">Telescope Overview</a> <a class="nav-telescope-dome dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/dome/">Dome</a> <a class="nav-telescope-structure dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/structure/">Main Structure</a> <div class="dropdown-submenu"> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors nav-link_ dropdown-item dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/">Mirrors</a> <div class="dropdown-menu top-aligned bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-submenu-list-items"> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-mirrors dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/">Mirrors Overview</a> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-M1 dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/M1/">M1</a> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-M2M3 dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/M2M3/">M2M3</a> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-M4 dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/M4/">M4</a> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-M5 dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/M5/">M5</a> </div> </div> <a class="nav-telescope-adaptiveoptics dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/adaptiveoptics/">Adaptive Optics</a> <a class="nav-telescope-prefocal dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/prefocal/">Prefocal Station</a> <a class="nav-telescope-controls dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/controls/">Controls</a> <a class="nav-telescope-operations dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/operations/">Operations</a> </div> </li> <li class="nav-instruments nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top menu-item d-flex d-lg-none align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/">INSTRUMENTS</a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0"> <a class="nav-instruments-instruments dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/">Instruments Overview</a> <a class="nav-instruments-HARMONI dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/HARMONI/">HARMONI</a> <a class="nav-instruments-MICADO dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/MICADO/">MICADO</a> <a class="nav-instruments-MAORY dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/MAORY/">MAORY</a> <a class="nav-instruments-METIS dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/METIS/">METIS</a> <a class="nav-instruments-HIRES dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/HIRES/">HIRES</a> <a class="nav-instruments-MOSAIC dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/MOSAIC/">MOSAIC</a> </div> </li> <li class="nav-science nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top menu-item d-flex d-lg-none align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/">SCIENCE</a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0"> <a class="nav-science-science dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/">Science Overview</a> <a class="nav-science-solarsystem dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/solarsystem/">Solar System</a> <a class="nav-science-exoplanets dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/exoplanets/">Exoplanets</a> <a class="nav-science-stars dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/stars/">Stars</a> <a class="nav-science-blackholes dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/blackholes/">Black Holes</a> <a class="nav-science-galaxies dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/galaxies/">Galaxies</a> <a class="nav-science-cosmodm dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/cosmodm/">Cosmology and Dark Matter</a> <a class="nav-science-fundamentalphysics dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/fundamentalphysics/">Fundamental Physics</a> <a class="nav-science-discoveries dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/discoveries/">Unexpected Discoveries</a> </div> </li> <li class="nav-multimedia nav-item menu-item d-flex d-lg-none align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/media/">NEWS & MULTIMEDIA</a> </li> <li class="nav-success nav-item menu-item d-flex d-lg-none align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/success/buildingon/">SUCCESS STORIES</a> </li>           <li class="nav-item_ menu-item_ d-none d-lg-flex align-items-center justify-content-around text-center desktop-top-sm-icons"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://facebook.com/ESOAstronomy" title="ESO on Facebook" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_1.png" alt="ESO on Facebook"> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://twitter.com/#!/ESO" title="ESO on Twitter" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_2.png" alt="ESO on witter"> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.instagram.com/esoastronomy/" title="ESO on Instagram" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_3.png" alt="ESO on Instagram"> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-southern-observatory" title="ESO on LinkedIn" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_4.png" alt="ESO on LinkedIn"> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIhYoC2VIAJqCkoIWNHBQ3Q" title="ESO on YouTube" target="_blank"> <img class="desktop-top-sm-element" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/social-media/icon_topbar_mobile_5.png" alt="ESO on YouTube"> </a> </li> <li id="nav-search" class="nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top-top menu-item d-flex align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link" href="#"> <i class="material-icons">search</i> </a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0 dropdown-search"> <div class="dropdown-item"> <form class="form-inline" action="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/public/search/" method="get" role="search"> <input class="form-control mr-sm-2" type="search" placeholder="Search..." aria-label="Search"> <button class="btn btn-outline-dark my-2 my-sm-0" type="submit" style="color: rgba(255,255,255,0.5);">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> <script type="text/javascript"> $(document).ready(() => { $('.nav-success').addClass('active'); $(".nav-success-buildingon").addClass('active'); }); </script> <img class="big-header-image d-block h-100_ w-100_" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635im_/https://cdn.eso.org/images/banner1920/header-success-building.jpg"/> <div class="big-header-text container-fluid bar-dark-tight position-relative" id="big-header"> <div class="position-absolute big-header-logos"> <img class="big-header-eso-logo" src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/djp/elt-assets/img/eso_logo_transparent.png"/> <p class="esologo-text">European<br/>Southern<br/>Observatory</p> </div> <div class="position-absolute big-header-title big-header-title-success"> <span style="color: rgb(232, 133, 38);">Success Stories</span> | Building on ESO's success </div> </div> <nav id="main-navbar" class="d-none d-lg-flex navbar sticky-top_ navbar-dark navbar-expand-lg mysticky py-2_ py-xl-0" style="background-color: #000000;"> <button class="navbar-toggler" type="button" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#navbarToggler" aria-controls="navbarToggler" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation"> <span class="navbar-toggler-icon"></span> </button> <div class="collapse navbar-collapse justify-content-around" id="navbarToggler"> <ul class="navbar-nav mx-auto mt-0"> <li class="nav-home nav-item menu-item d-flex align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/">ELT HOME</a> </li> <li class="nav-about nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top menu-item d-flex align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/">ABOUT</a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0"> <a class="nav-about-about dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/">About the ELT</a> <a class="nav-about-timeline dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/timeline/">Timeline</a> <a class="nav-about-location dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/location/">Location</a> <a class="nav-about-facts dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/facts/">Facts</a> <a class="nav-about-road dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/road/">Road to the ELT</a>  <a class="nav-about-team dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/team/">Meet the Team</a> <a class="nav-about-industrial dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/industrial/">Industrial and Institutional Partners</a> <a class="nav-about-faq dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/about/faq/">FAQ</a> </div> </li> <li class="nav-telescope nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top menu-item d-flex align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/">TELESCOPE</a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0"> <a class="nav-telescope-telescope dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/">Telescope Overview</a> <a class="nav-telescope-dome dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/dome/">Dome</a> <a class="nav-telescope-structure dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/structure/">Main Structure</a> <div class="dropdown-submenu"> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors nav-link_ dropdown-item dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/">Mirrors</a> <div class="dropdown-menu top-aligned bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-submenu-list-items"> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-mirrors dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/">Mirrors Overview</a> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-M1 dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/M1/">M1</a> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-M2M3 dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/M2M3/">M2M3</a> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-M4 dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/M4/">M4</a> <a class="nav-telescope-mirrors-M5 dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/mirror/M5/">M5</a> </div> </div> <a class="nav-telescope-adaptiveoptics dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/adaptiveoptics/">Adaptive Optics</a> <a class="nav-telescope-prefocal dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/prefocal/">Prefocal Station</a> <a class="nav-telescope-controls dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/controls/">Controls</a> <a class="nav-telescope-operations dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/telescope/operations/">Operations</a> </div> </li> <li class="nav-instruments nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top menu-item d-flex align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/">INSTRUMENTS</a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0"> <a class="nav-instruments-instruments dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/">Instruments Overview</a> <a class="nav-instruments-HARMONI dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/HARMONI/">HARMONI</a> <a class="nav-instruments-MICADO dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/MICADO/">MICADO</a> <a class="nav-instruments-MAORY dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/MAORY/">MAORY</a> <a class="nav-instruments-METIS dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/METIS/">METIS</a> <a class="nav-instruments-HIRES dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/HIRES/">HIRES</a> <a class="nav-instruments-MOSAIC dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/instrument/MOSAIC/">MOSAIC</a> </div> </li> <li class="nav-science nav-item dropdown dropdown-menu-top menu-item d-flex align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle_" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/">SCIENCE</a> <div class="dropdown-menu bg-dark dropdown-main-menu dropdown-menu-list-items ml-2 ml-xl-0"> <a class="nav-science-science dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/">Science Overview</a> <a class="nav-science-solarsystem dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/solarsystem/">Solar System</a> <a class="nav-science-exoplanets dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/exoplanets/">Exoplanets</a> <a class="nav-science-stars dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/stars/">Stars</a> <a class="nav-science-blackholes dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/blackholes/">Black Holes</a> <a class="nav-science-galaxies dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/galaxies/">Galaxies</a> <a class="nav-science-cosmodm dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/cosmodm/">Cosmology and Dark Matter</a> <a class="nav-science-fundamentalphysics dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/fundamentalphysics/">Fundamental Physics</a> <a class="nav-science-discoveries dropdown-item" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/science/discoveries/">Unexpected Discoveries</a> </div> </li> <li class="nav-multimedia nav-item menu-item d-flex align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/media/">NEWS & MULTIMEDIA</a> </li> <li class="nav-success nav-item menu-item d-flex align-items-center text-center"> <a class="nav-link" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/success/buildingon/">SUCCESS STORIES</a> </li>           </ul> </div> </nav> <div id="buildingon_main" class="container-fluid container-light page-section"> <div class="container-subtitle"> <span class="section-subtitle-paragraph"><p>The ELT builds on ESO’s success story and is the culmination of 60 years of international collaboration in astronomy and pooling resources and expertise.</p></span> </div> <div class="container-paragraph section-text-paragraph"> <p>For years the ELT has been the most anticipated and most challenging project the European Southern Observatory has ever embarked upon. Constructing this 39-metre mega telescope is only possible by building on ESO’s long history in pioneering astronomy and engineering, and in bringing countries together to work on ambitious projects. Far from an isolated project, the ELT will become an integral part of the large family of telescopes at ESO’s observatories in Chile. Although smaller in size, these telescopes are giants that have paved the way for the ELT and its almost inconceivable capabilities in imaging and collecting data from our Universe.</p> </div>  <div class="m-0 " style="padding-bottom: 1vw;"> <div class="row w-100 m-0"> <div class="col-lg-12 p-0 position-relative d-flex align-items-center order-lg-1 order-1"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/images/ELT4k-12-Night4-cc/" target="_blank" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center w-100"><img class="" style="width: 100%; " src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/images/original/success-building-banner1.jpg"/></a> </div> </div> </div>    <div class="container-paragraph section-text-paragraph"> <p>Essential for the ELT’s spectacular imaging quality is the incorporation of active and adaptive optics technology including (but not limited to) precise position actuators, multiple sensors, deformable mirrors and laser guide stars. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/technology/active_optics/">Active optics</a>, the system which allows the mirrors of a telescope to retain perfect shape and position, was first successfully introduced on ESO’s <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/ntt/">New Technology Telescope</a> (NTT) at La Silla Observatory in 1989 and has been deployed in ESO’s telescopes ever since. Engineers at ESO and elsewhere have also made strides in developing <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/technology/adaptive_optics/">adaptive optics</a> for ESO telescopes, a technology that compensates and corrects for the distortion caused by atmospheric turbulence. Important advancements in adaptive optics came with ESO’s <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/">Very Large Telescope</a> (VLT), which revolutionised astronomy and telescope design when the first of its four 8.2-metre telescopes began operations on 25th May 1999. Of particular importance are the VLT’s <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/4lgsf/">laser guide stars</a>, which are used by the telescopes’ adaptive optics system to perfect image quality. </p> <p>Active and adaptive optics systems developed for ESO telescopes have been improved upon and fully integrated into the ELT’s design, as have other technologies and knowledge gained from the NTT, the VLT and other telescopes and instruments ESO has developed and operated. Engineering and technological advances have been improved and scaled-up to be implemented on the ELT, allowing for far greater optical quality and imaging power than would have been possible without standing on the shoulders of other ESO giants. </p> </div>  <div class="m-0 container-paragraph" style="padding-bottom: 1vw;"> <div class="row w-100 m-0"> <div class="col-lg-6 p-0 d-flex align-items-center order-lg-1 order-1"> <div> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/images/lso/" target="_blank" class="d-flex w-100 align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-middle"><img class="" style="width: 99%; " src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/images/original/success-building-image1.jpg"/></a> </div> </div> <div class="col-lg-6 p-0 d-flex align-items-center order-lg-2 order-3"> <div> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/images/DJI_0103-CC/" target="_blank" class="d-flex w-100 align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-middle justify-content-lg-middle"><img class="" style="width: 99%; " src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/images/original/success-building-image2.jpg"/></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container-paragraph section-text-paragraph"> <p>The ELT will become the biggest sibling in ESO’s fantastic family, working with ESO’s other telescopes, which together can observe the Universe in a wide range of wavelengths, to achieve the best science possible. For example, when one telescope spots something unusual or unexpected, follow-up observations can occur rapidly to confirm and obtain more detail on the discovery by the other telescopes at ESO’s La Silla and Paranal Observatories. ESO’s partnerships in observatories such as <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/alma/">ALMA</a> (the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) or the future <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/cta/">Cherenkov Telescope Array</a> (CTA), which observe the skies at wavelengths other ESO telescopes cannot access, further allow astronomers to expand and deepen studies of our Universe. Welcoming the ELT into the ESO family expands this opportunity further, giving humanity a front row seat to the best observations of the most pressing science taking place each night. </p> </div>  <div class="m-0 container-paragraph" style="padding-bottom: 1vw;"> <div class="row w-100 m-0"> <div class="col-lg-6 p-0 d-flex align-items-center order-lg-1 order-1"> <div> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/images/2020-cta-paranal-comp-8k-trans-cc/" target="_blank" class="d-flex w-100 align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-middle"><img class="" style="width: 99%; " src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/images/original/success-building-image3.jpg"/></a> </div> </div> <div class="col-lg-6 p-0 d-flex align-items-center order-lg-2 order-3"> <div> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1108a/" target="_blank" class="d-flex w-100 align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-middle justify-content-lg-middle"><img class="" style="width: 99%; " src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/images/original/success-building-image4.jpg"/></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container-paragraph section-text-paragraph"> <p>Another example of this synergy between the ELT and other ESO telescopes, is that the 39-metre machine will be operated from the same control room as other telescopes at the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/">Paranal Observatory</a>. The ELT is being built just 23 km from Cerro Paranal.</p> <p>More powerful than all professional ground-based optical telescopes in the world combined, the ELT builds on all of ESO’s hard work. Thanks to fruitful worldwide collaborations between ESO’s <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/about-eso/memberstates/">sixteen member states</a> and its <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/about-eso/eso-and-chile/">host state of Chile</a>, the ELT has become one of the largest projects ever undertaken in astronomy and will allow ESO’s large and unique family to revolutionise our view and understanding of the Universe.</p> </div>  <div class="m-0 "> <div class="row w-100 m-0"> <div class="col-lg-12 p-0 position-relative d-flex align-items-center order-lg-1 order-1"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/images/success-building-banner2/" target="_blank" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center w-100"><img class="" style="width: 100%; " src="/web/20210123234635im_/https://elt.eso.org/public/archives/images/original/success-building-banner2.jpg"/></a> </div> </div> </div>    </div> <footer class="container-fluid container-footer"> <div class="row d-flex align-items-center justify-content-between w-100"> <div class="col-12 col-lg-3 pb-3 pb-lg-0 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center medium-light footer-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/www.eso.org/"><span class="esoblue">ESO</span></a> | ELT © 2020 </div> <div class="col-12 col-lg-9 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center medium-light footer-item"> <div class="text-center"> <a class="w-100" href="/web/20210123234635/https://elt.eso.org/credits/"><span class="medium-light footer-item">Credits</span></a>   |   <a class="w-100" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/mailto:information@eso.org"><span class="medium-light footer-item">Contact us</span></a>   |   <a class="w-100" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/outreach/newsletters/"><span class="medium-light footer-item">Subscribe to ESO news</span></a>   |   <a class="w-100" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.cdn77.com/"><span class="medium-light footer-item">Accelerated by CDN77</span></a>   |   <a class="w-100" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210123234635/https://www.eso.org/public/about-eso/privacy/"><span class="medium-light footer-item">Terms & Conditions</span></a> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <input type="hidden" name="csrfmiddlewaretoken" value="2ORQ4jRVJWY5tsK2xhpnpfsm9Ix3Wkm2aOm9LLH1d4vRQZ0iKYQjezaGfUh5rTGE"/> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Building on ESO's success | ELT | ESO