Stars and Galaxies. Images from the Very Large Telescope

The Very Large Telescope is one of the most advanced astronomical instruments in history. It is operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The ESO is celebrating 15 years of the Very Large Telescope on Saturday, May 25.

1/12

© ESO

The Very Large Telescope is one of the most advanced astronomical instruments in history. It is operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The ESO is celebrating 15 years of the Very Large Telescope on Saturday, May 25.

2/12

© ESO

The Very Large Telescope is located in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. The first of the VLT four unit telescopes “opened its eye” on May 25, 1998. Photo: NGC 2359, an emission nebula in the constellation Canis Major.

3/12

© ESO

The VLT consists of four unit telescopes, each with a primary mirror measuring 8.2m across, and four movable 1.8m-diameter auxiliary telescopes.

4/12

© ESO

The VLT operates at visible and infrared wavelengths. Photo: The Horsehead Nebula.

5/12

© ESO

The observatory is the world's most complex array of ground-based telescopes. The VLT is the world’s most powerful optical instrument. Photo: The NGC 4438 and NGC 4435 galaxies, also known as the “Eyes.”

6/12

© ESO

Only the Hubble Space Telescope has the edge on the VLT among optical instruments in terms of the amount of research material collected.

7/12

© ESO

An image of a brown dwarf obtained using the VLT.

8/12

© ESO

The starry sky above the VLT.

9/12

© ESO

The NGC 3603 young star cluster lies 22,000 light-years away from the Sun.

10/12

© Photo : ESO

One of the VLT telescopes.

11/12

© ESO

The NGC 1232 spiral galaxy.

12/12

© ESO

A photo of the VLT taken by ESO staff member Gordon Gillet.