The ESO Survey Telescopes — Mapping the Sky in the Finest Detail

European Southern Observatory The ESO Survey Telescopes — Mapping the Sky in the Finest Detail

Two new and powerful telescopes — the VISTA has a main mirror 4.1 metres full Moon. It complements VISTA and will Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for across and is by far the largest telescope survey the visible-light sky. Astronomy (VISTA) and the VLT Survey in the world dedicated to surveying the Telescope (VST) — are starting their work sky at near-infrared wavelengths. VISTA The VST is the result of a joint venture at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in northern was conceived and developed by a between ESO and the Capodimonte As- Chile. They are arguably the most power- consortium of 18 UK universities led by tronomical Observatory (OAC) of Naples, ful dedicated imaging survey telescopes Queen Mary, University of London, and a research centre of the Italian National in the world and will hugely increase the its construction was managed by the UK Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). The VST scientific discovery potential of the Paranal Science and Technology Facilities Coun- is expected to become operational at Observatory. cil’s UK Astronomy Technology Centre in Paranal early in 2011. Edinburgh. VISTA was given to ESO as an Many of the most interesting astronomi- in-kind contribution as part of the UK’s The scientific goals of the surveys include cal objects — from tiny, but potentially accession agreement. many of the most exciting problems in as- dangerous, near-Earth asteroids to the trophysics today, ranging from the nature most remote quasars — are rare. Find- VISTA’s main mirror is the most highly of dark energy to the threat of near-Earth ing them is like looking for a needle in a curved mirror of its size ever made and its asteroids. Large teams of astronomers haystack. The largest telescopes, such construction is a formidable accomplish- throughout Europe will conduct the sur- as ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and ment. At the heart of VISTA is a 3-tonne veys. Some of the surveys will cover most the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, camera containing 16 special detectors of the southern sky while others will focus can only study a minute part of the sky sensitive to infrared light with a combined on smaller areas. at any one time, but VISTA and the VST total of 67 megapixels. It will the have are designed to photograph large areas widest coverage of any astronomical near- Both VISTA and the VST will produce quickly and deeply. The two telescopes infrared camera. huge quantities of data — a single picture will spend most of their first five years per- taken by VISTA has 67 megapixels and forming a total of nine carefully designed Observing at wavelengths longer than images from OmegaCam on the VST surveys and will create vast archives of those visible to the human eye will allow will have 268 megapixels. The two Survey both images and catalogues of objects VISTA to study objects that may be almost ­Telescopes will produce far more data that will be harvested by astronomers for impossible to see in visible light because every night than all the other instruments decades to come. they are cool, obscured by dust clouds on the VLT together. Together the VST and or because their light has been stretched VISTA will produce more than 100 tera- The Survey Telescopes will have a vital towards redder wavelengths by the ex- bytes of data per year. role in preparing the way for future fa- pansion of space during the light’s long cilities such as the European Extremely journey from the early Universe. Large Telescope (E-ELT) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). VISTA will be able to detect and catalogue objects over the whole southern sky with The surveys will produce science direct­ a sensitivity that is 40 times greater than ly and in addition interesting objects achieved with earlier infrared sky surveys discovered by the Survey Telescopes will such as the highly successful Two Micron form targets for detailed study both by the All-Sky Survey. The VISTA surveys started neighbouring VLT and by other telescopes early in 2010. on Earth and in space. Both Survey Tele­ scopes are housed in domes close to The VST is a state-of-the-art 2.6-metre the VLT and share the same exceptional telescope equipped with OmegaCAM, a observing conditions as well as the same monster 268 megapixel CCD camera with highly efficient operational model. a field of view four times the area of the

About ESO ESO, the European Southern Observatory, is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe. It is supported by 14 countries: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO plays also a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research.

ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in the Atacama Desert region of Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor.

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