Free Astronomy Magazine March-April 2025

5 MARCH-APRIL 2025 ASTRO PUBLISHING “The proximity of the AES Andes in- dustrial megaproject to Paranal poses a critical risk to the most pris- tine night skies on the planet,” high- lighted ESO Director General, Xavier Barcons. “Dust emissions during con- struction, increased atmospheric tur- bulence, and especially light pol- lution will irreparably impact the capabilities for astronomical obser- vation, which have thus far attracted multi-billion-Euro investments by the governments of the ESO Mem- ber States.” The project encompasses an indus- trial complex of more than 3000 hectares, which is close to the size of a city, or district, such as Valparaiso, Chile or Garching near Munich, Ger- many. It includes constructing a port, ammonia and hydrogen production plants and thousands of electricity generation units near Paranal. Thanks to its atmospheric stability and lack of light pollution, the Ata- cama Desert is a unique natural lab- oratory for astronomical research. These attributes are essential for sci- entific projects that aim to address fundamental questions, such as the origin and evolution of the Universe or the quest for life and the habit- ability of other planets. “Chile, and in particular Paranal, is a truly special place for astronomy — its dark skies are a natural heritage that transcends its borders and ben- efits all humanity, ” said Itziar de Gregorio, ESO’s Representative in Chile. “It is crucial to consider alter- native locations for this megaproject that do not endanger one of the world’s most important astronomi- cal treasures.” The relocation of this project remains the only effective way to prevent irreversible damage to Paranal’s unique skies. This meas- ure will not only safeguard the fu- ture of astronomy but also preserve one of the last truly pristine dark skies on Earth. T he dark skies above ESO’s Paranal Ob- servatory, home to ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), yield breathtaking views so clear and so full of stars that you could almost touch them. Standing atop a plat- form at VLT, ESO Photo Ambassador Petr Horálek reaches towards a standout object in the sky. You may assume this bright body, like many others in the sky, to be a star, but it is in fact a planet in our Solar Sys- tem: the gas giant Jupiter. [ESO/P. Horálek] !