Very Large Telescope

The Very Large Telescope (VLT) is the world's most advanced optical and infrared observatory, operated by ESO at Cerro Paranal, Chile. It consists of four 8.2m Unit Telescopes and four 1.8m Auxiliary Telescopes capable of interferometry.

Active

Overview

General Description

The Very Large Telescope (VLT) is a flagship facility for European ground-based astronomy, managed by the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO). It is located at Cerro Paranal, at an altitude of 2635 meters. It is described as the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory.

Technical Configuration

The VLT comprises four Unit Telescopes (UTs) with 8.2-meter diameter primary mirrors, named Antu, Kueyen, Melipal, and Yepun. It also includes four movable Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs) with 1.8-meter diameter mirrors. These telescopes can operate individually or be combined to form the ESO Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI), allowing for much finer angular resolution.

Optical design: Ritchey-Chrétien reflector.
Mount: Alt-Azimuth.
Active Optics: Yes.
Adaptive Optics: Available on several UTs (e.g., UT4 with Laser Guide Star + SINFONI).

Scientific Capabilities

The VLT is the most productive individual ground-based facility, yielding an average of more than one peer-reviewed scientific paper per day. It has contributed to notable discoveries, including the first image of an extrasolar planet and tracking stars around the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. Instrumentation covers from deep ultraviolet (300 nm) to mid-infrared (24 µm).

History and Operations

First light for the first Unit Telescope, Antu, was achieved on May 25, 1998, and it entered routine scientific operations on April 1, 1999. Currently, all Unit and Auxiliary Telescopes are operational.

Sources and references