ESO Announcements

ALMA Successfully Restarted Observations

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0100

Forty-eight days after suspending observations due to a cyberattack, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is observing the sky again. The computing staff has worked diligently to rebuild the affected observatory’s computer system servers and services. This is a crucial milestone in the recovery process.

On 29 October, ALMA suffered a cyberattack. The computing staff took immediate countermeasures to avoid loss and damage to scientific data and IT infrastructure. The attack affected various critical operational servers and computers.

“The challenge was to securely restore all the communication and computer systems as quickly as possible. We established an aggressive plan that required coordination with the ALMA partnership worldwide,” explains Jorge Ibsen, Head of the ALMA Computing Department. “Thanks to the active engagement of everyone in the collaboration, especially the Computing, Engineering, and Science Operations staff, and the cybersecurity experts from ESO, NAOJ, and NRAO, we managed to be observing as planned.”

In the coming weeks, the focus will be on recovering testing infrastructure and systems like the ALMA website and other services, which will allow the recovery of all the functionalities existing before the cyberattack.

ALMA Director, Sean Dougherty, celebrates that: “It is fantastic to be back doing science observations once again! It has been an enormous challenge to rebuild our systems to return to observing securely. Thanks to everyone at the JAO and across the ALMA partnership for attaining this impressive milestone.”

President of Croatia visits ESO’s Paranal Observatory

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 18:06:24 +0100

The President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, visited ESO’s Paranal Observatory today. During his visit the President and his delegation were shown several of ESO’s best telescopes, including the Very Large Telescope (VLT). They also visited the construction site of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) atop Cerro Armazones; set to start operating by the end of this decade, with its 39 m mirror it will be the largest optical-infrared telescope in the world. During their two-day visit, the president and his delegation stayed the night at ESO’s award-winning accommodation la Residencia.

Travel to ESO’s observatories in Chile on a special virtual tour

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0100

On 2 December, at 19.00 CET, join a special, live virtual guided tour of our sites. Get to see what goes on behind the scenes at our observatories in Chile, located in one of the most remote places on Earth. Discover what it takes to operate a telescope in the middle of the Atacama Desert and what astronomers are looking to find out there. Join us in the integration hall of the ESO Headquarters in Germany and much more.

The event will be broadcasted in English, on ESO’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. It will last one hour and it includes a Q&A session at the end. During the tour our team will also answer your astronomy questions via social media.

The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre in Garching near Munich, Germany will host a free public event on the same day, streaming the virtual tour, with ESO astronomers and engineers available in the exhibition to engage with visitors and answer their questions. To book a free place, please go here.

This virtual tour is part of a campaign to mark ESO’s 60^th anniversary. Under the motto „Feet on the ground, eyes on the sky” we have been organising several activities that focus on how we are building on our legacy to continue the success story of international collaboration in astronomy. Among them, a series of social media messages published with the hashtag #ESO60Years that are exploring our plans for the future: from the discoveries we expect to enable in the next decades, technologies being developed at ESO that have applications in other areas, to how we are contributing to society in broader terms and building a more sustainable future, from an environmental perspective as well as socially and economically.

Several other public events are being organised in ESO’s Member and Partner States, with the list continuously being updated. Check here to see if there are any events near you.

Some of the events will feature an anniversary exhibition, which can be accessed online from this link. Ready-to-print PDF files are available for anyone interested.

Sharper infrared eyes for the VLT: ERIS sees first light

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0100

ESO’s newest scientific instrument, the Enhanced Resolution Imager and Spectrograph (ERIS) has successfully completed its first test observations. One of them exposed the heart of the galaxy NGC 1097 in mesmerising detail. Installed on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) at Cerro Paranal in northern Chile, this infrared instrument will be able to see further and in finer detail, leading the way in Solar System, exoplanet and galaxy observations.

The versatility of ERIS [1] will lend itself to many fields of astronomical research as it aims to take the sharpest images obtained to date using a single 8.2-metre telescope. It will do so using adaptive optics, a technique that corrects for the blurring effects of Earth’s atmosphere in real time. ERIS will be active for at least ten years and is expected to make significant contributions to a myriad of topics in astronomy, ranging from distant galaxies and black holes through to exoplanets and dwarf planets within our own Solar System.

“We expect not only that ERIS will fulfil its main scientific objectives,” says Harald Kuntschner, ESO’s project scientist for ERIS, “but that due to its versatility it will also be used for a wide variety of other science cases, hopefully leading to new and unexpected results.”

The very first test observations with ERIS were obtained in February of this year, with further observations conducted in August and November to test the limits of the instrument. One of these observations features the inner ring of the galaxy NGC 1097, located 45 million light-years away from Earth, in the constellation Fornax. This gaseous and dusty ring lies at the very centre of the galaxy; the bright spots in it are stellar nurseries, shown here in unprecedented detail. The glowing centre shows the active heart of the galaxy, a supermassive black hole that feeds off its surroundings. To put ERIS’s resolution in perspective, this image shows, in detail, a portion of the sky less than 0.03% the size of the full Moon.

Mounted on the VLT's Unit Telescope 4, ERIS will take over the role of the very successful NACO and SINFONI instruments, providing some essential improvements to the facility for the coming decade.

ERIS boasts a state-of-the-art infrared imager, the Near Infrared Camera System — or NIX — which was used to image the inner ring in NGC 1097. NIX will offer a new and unique view of many different astronomical objects, such as exoplanets and the discs of gas and dust around young stars. It can use a technique called coronagraphy, which blocks light from stars similarly to a solar eclipse, allowing us to observe the faint planets around them.

ERIS also features a 3D spectrograph named SPIFFIER, an upgrade of SINFONI’s SPIFFI (SPectrometer for Infrared Faint Field Imaging). SPIFFIER collects a spectrum from each individual pixel within its field of view. This will allow astronomers to study, for instance, the dynamics of distant galaxies in incredible detail, or to measure the velocities of stars orbiting the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, which is key to testing General Relativity and understanding the physics of black holes.

ERIS’s adaptive optics module is equipped with sensors to analyse atmospheric turbulence on the fly, by monitoring either a real astronomical source or an artificial laser guide star. It sends this information up to a thousand times per second to the VLT’s deformable secondary mirror, which then corrects for the blurring in real time, thus creating more detailed images.

“ERIS breathes new life into the fundamental adaptive optics imaging and spectroscopy capability of the VLT,” says Ric Davies, the Principal Investigator of the ERIS consortium and researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. “Thanks to the efforts of all those involved in the project over the years, many science projects are now able to benefit from the exquisite resolution and sensitivity the instrument can achieve.”

Notes

[1] ERIS was designed and built under the leadership of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (Germany) by a consortium including the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF, Italy), the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK), ETH Zürich (Switzerland), and NOVA (the Netherlands), together with ESO.

ALMA Services Affected by Cyberattack

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 16:15:00 +0100

Update (18 Nov 2022)

This event is under investigation by local authorities.

The Computing team quickly isolated the Antennas and Correlator systems and the Science Archive data systems. However, communication and other operational clusters were affected, forcing ALMA to stop all observations.

Since then, email communication has been restored safely, along with new collaboration tools that enable the staff to continue their regular work.

The Crisis Management Team has developed a full-recovery plan in consultation with cyber security officers from ESO/NAOJ/NRAO. Our highest priority is to work hard to resume observations before the end of the year.

Last Saturday, 29 October, at 6:14 AM (GMT-3), the ALMA observatory in Chile suffered a cyberattack on its computer systems, forcing the suspension of astronomical observations and the public website. There are limited email services at the observatory. The threat has been contained, and our specialists are working hard to restore affected systems. The attack did not compromise the ALMA antennas or any scientific data. Given the nature of the episode, it is not yet possible to estimate a timeline for a return to regular activities. We are thankful for the support and understanding across the ALMA partnership and apologize for any inconveniences resulting from the recovery efforts.

ESO statement on the removal of Tim de Zeeuw as a professor by the University of Leiden

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 21:23:27 +0200

Leiden University has recently announced that a professor at the university has been found by the university’s Complaints Committee to have subjected colleagues to intimidating and unacceptable behaviour, including harassment. Media reports have named the professor as Tim de Zeeuw, who was ESO’s Director General from 2007 to 2017. This has now been confirmed by a statement to Physics World by a lawyer acting on his behalf. 

First and most importantly, we express our deep support and sympathy for the victims of this harassment. ESO is strongly against all forms of harassment, bullying and other unacceptable behaviour. 

At ESO, we are committed to creating a work environment that is safe and professional, where everyone is treated with courtesy, respect, and mutual trust, and where diversity and inclusion are valued. To this end, we have in place a respectful workplace policy, which applies to everyone working at or visiting ESO, and describes the process to make a complaint and the formal investigation procedure. We are committed to reviewing such existing procedures, to make sure they work as intended, and to develop any new measures that are needed. 

Tim de Zeeuw has had no formal attachment to ESO since he left in 2017. Following the confirmation of his identity, ESO has banned his access to all ESO premises and meetings with immediate effect, and will revoke access to his courtesy ESO IT account.  

The ESO-Government of Chile Joint Committee announces the 2022 winners

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

The ESO-Government of Chile Joint Committee has announced the 19 winning projects for the 2022 call, which will share funds for 478 million pesos. Said funds will be invested in initiatives for the development of astronomy-related research in science, technology, education and cooperation in Chile.

Since 1996, the ESO-Government of Chile Joint Committee is one of the main funds for the development in this area, supporting astronomy post-doctoral programmes and academic tenures in Chilean institutions. It also finances national and international scientific visits, technology build and educational programmes for teaching and disseminating astronomy in the country.

The ESO-Government of Chile Joint Committee includes representatives of ESO and the Chilean government, from the Energy, Science, Technology and Innovation Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, and the Chilean Astronomy Association. The winners of ESO-Government of Chile Joint Committee 2022 are:

Name of the project	Principal Investigator	Institution
A researcher dedicated to achieve the maximum scientific outcome of the supercomputer GUINA	Paulina Troncoso	Universidad Central de Chile
Constraining the Properties of Clouds and Hazes for Planets in the Neptune Desert	James Jenkins	Universidad Diego Portales
The physical and chemical evolution of planet-forming disks	Viviana Guzmán	Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Circumplanetary disks around wide-orbit planetary-mass objects	Claudio Caceres	Universidad Andrés Bello
The low-z clusters of 4MOST-CHANCES Survey: Creating capabilities at Universidad de La Serena	Antonela Monachesi	Universidad de La Serena
Measuring LEO satellite attitudes using optical and NIR telescope tracking	Jeremy Tregloan-Reed	Universidad de Atacama
Postdoctoral position for studies of the intergalactic medium using fast radio bursts	Nicolas Tejos	Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso
The ESCAPE project: Extremophiles Survivability Chamber for Astrobiology Photohemical Experiments	Stefano Bovino	Universidad de Concepción
Under the Chilean Sky: A Comprehensive Study of the Astronomical Heritage in Chile	Eduardo Ibar	Universidad de Valparaíso
"Una Mirada al Universo, telescopios para la observación solar y nocturna"	Constanza Yovaniniz	Fundación Planetario de la Universidad de Santiago de Chile
COSPAR CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP "Data analysis for Planetary Sciences" 2023	Millarca Valenzuela	Universidad Católica del Norte
Recreos Astronómicos “AstroRecreos” en la comuna de Cerro Navia	Guillermo Retamales	Corporación del Deporte e Inclusión Social de la Ilustre Municipalidad de Cerro Navia
Talleres de Astronomía y Física para Residencias Familiares de Mejor Niñez en la Región de Valparaíso	Catalina Arcos	Universidad de Valparaíso
SOCHIAS grant “BECA ADELINA” for student participation at conferences	Ricardo Demarco	Sociedad Chilena de Astronomía (SOCHIAS)
III National Conference of Astronomical Education	Angie Barr Domínguez	SOCHIAS
Equipo Pedagógico CIRAS: cerrando brechas entre la astronomía y el aula II	Carla Hernández	Universidad de Santiago
A MUSE view of high-redshift radio-loud quasars	Chiara Mazzucchelli	Universidad Diego Portales
Breaking the Barriers IV	Julio Carballo Bello	SOCHIAS
Chilean Representation to the Astronomy and Astrophysics (A&A)	Julie Nantais	SOCHIAS

Visiting astronomer missing at ESO’s La Silla Observatory

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 20:15:00 +0200

Update on the search for Tom Marsh (10 November 2022)

We are very sorry to share the news, as reported to us by the Chilean police, that a body was found during the search near La Silla on 10 November 2022.

The identity of the person has not yet been formally confirmed, but Tom Marsh’s family has been informed, and our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time.

Thomas Richard (Tom) Marsh, an astronomer from Warwick University in the UK who was on an observing trip at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile, was reported missing on Friday 16 September. Despite extensive and thorough search by the national police, supported by ESO staff and British police, Marsh has unfortunately not yet been found. ESO’s La Silla Observatory is located in a mountainous area in the northern part of the Coquimbo region.

Marsh is described as white, about 192 cm in height, with balding grey hair and a beard. He is likely to be wearing a blue rain jacket, walking boots and a grey woollen hat. If you have any information that could help the police find him, please call the Carabineros or the PDI in Chile. In the UK, you can contact the Warwickshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 153 of 18 September 2022. Warwickshire Police can also be contacted internationally by calling +44 1926 415000 and information can be reported online.

We would ask you to please respect the privacy of Marsh’s family. ESO staff are in regular contact with them and have offered their full support.

Chilean Science Minister visits ESO’s Paranal Observatory

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 19:00:00 +0200

On 10 and 11 of August, the Chilean Science Minister Flavio Salazar visited ESO’s Paranal Observatory. This is the first time the new Science Minister visits an ESO site, with the purpose of strengthening the connections between ESO and Chile. Additionally, the visit provided an excellent opportunity for the Minister to get familiar with ESO's operations and facilities.

The science minister was welcomed by ESO’s Director General, Xavier Barcons, ESO’s Representative in Chile, Luis Chavarría and ESO’s Director of Operations, Andreas Kaufer. The visit started off with a tour to ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) followed by different support facilities of the observatory.

Xavier Barcons said: “Chile has been a partner and host state to ESO for nearly 60 years, and we are very honoured to welcome Chile’s Science Minister to ESO’s facilities in Paranal. This is an opportunity to explore ways to strengthen international collaboration for the benefit of the Chilean science community and of ESO.”

“Astronomy is a highly developed area. Our country has a concentration of very important astronomical instruments—perhaps the largest in the southern hemisphere—and a strong critical mass of researchers that we want to articulate and extend. For this, a key element is the internationalisation of science because we have international centres of great global interest. We will continue promoting their articulation, organisation and financing of new talent in these areas,” said the Chilean Science Minister Flavio Salazar during his visit.

This close collaborative relation between ESO and Chile has allowed the organisation to operate at the unique observational sites in Chile and boosted the growth of the Chilean astronomical community through the decades.

The Science Minister Flavio Salazar also visited Cerro Armazones, about 20 kilometres from Paranal, where constructions of ESO’s upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) are advancing. Planned to achieve first light by the end of this decade, the ELT will be the world’s biggest eye on the sky, exploring the Universe in never-before-seen detail.

ESO representative Luis Chavarria said: “The Minister’s visit is an important milestone and an opportunity to share our visions on the challenge of operating an infrastructure such as the ELT in a sustainable way. Making the best use of the natural lab of northern Chile’s exceptional skies requires coordination with different institutions at national and regional level.”

ESO joins the science and art festival Starmus VI

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

ESO’s Director General, Xavier Barcons, is one of the confirmed speakers at the Starmus VI festival, joining a star-studded line-up that includes no less than eight Nobel Prize laureates, five astronauts, and prominent artists and thinkers.

The Starmus Festival is an artistic and scientific celebration of the wonders of the Universe and science communication. Conferences, speeches, presentations, the Stephen Hawking Science Medal award and other events are a part of the programme.

The sixth edition of the Starmus festival will take place from 5 to 10 September 2022 in Yerevan, Armenia. This edition is set to be the biggest yet and the theme is a dedication to the planet Mars.

Speakers at Starmus VI will include world-renowned astronauts, including Chris Hadfield and former NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden Jr. In addition, Starmus will feature a wide selection of Nobel Laureate scientists such as Kip Thorne, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Donna Strickland, as well as physicist and science communicator Brian Greene. Musicians will include rock band Sons of Apollo, legendary keyboardist Rick Wakeman, Serj Tankian, the Armenian-American singer of System of a Down, amongst other celebrities and renowned scientists.

The Starmus Festival was created by Garik Israelian, a researcher at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), and Brian May, astrophysicist and the lead guitarist of the iconic rock band Queen.

For more information on how to attend the event visit www.starmus.com.