PIX4656715: View of the VLT, Very Large Telescope, consists of 4 main telescopes 8.2m in diameter. Located in the Atacama desert in northern Chile, at an altitude of 2,635 metres, it studies the sky in wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet to infrared - This european observatory accomodates the Very Large Telescope (VLT) since 1998. Four 8.2m telescopes are used besides several other telescopes from 1.8m to 4m. The four giant telescopes are named ANTU, KUEYEN, MELIPAL and YEPUN. Cerro Paranal is 2600 meters in altitude in Atacama desert: Observatoire du Paranal-Le VLT - The Very Large Telescope (VLT) / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656736: Paranal Observatory - Chile - 2005 - View of the VLT, Very Large Telescope, consists of 4 main telescopes of 8.2m in diameter and 1.8m in diameter. From left to right, the telescopes ANTU, Kueyen, MELIPAL, the auxiliary telescope AT1, the VST, AT2 and YEPUN / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656781: Paranal observatory at dusk. Conjunction Moon Venus - The Paranal Observatory at dusk. Conjunction Moon Venus 17 - 06 - 200 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656802: Paranal observatory at dusk. - The Moon and one of the auxiliary telescopes measuring 1.8m in diameter. Paranal Observatory, Chile. Moon with one of the VLTI auxiliary telescope / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656982: Cerro Paranal at dusk - Cerro Paranal twilight - Sunset on the Paranal Observatory. April 2008. Sunset on the Paranal observatory. April 2008 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656991: Paranal Observatory, Chile 03/2008 - Paranal Observatory, Chile 03/2008 - Yepun, one of the four 8.2m telescopes, and three of the four 1.8m auxiliary telescopes. March 2008. Paranal Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on the top of Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert in the northern part of Chile. This picture shows at left Yepun, one of the four 8,2m telescopes, with three auxiliary telescopes. March 2008 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4655546: Observatory of the Pic du Midi - Pic du Midi observatory - The observatory seen in September 1995. T60 dome. Pic du Midi observatory in September 1995. T60 dome / Bridgeman Images

PIX4655609: Star line on the Pic du Midi observatory (65) - Star trails and Pic du Midi observatory - Photographic pose on the stars above the Pic du Midi observatory. Long exposure on starry sky above Pic du Midi observatory / Bridgeman Images

PIX4655639: Anti-crepuscular arch at Pic du Midi - Earth's shadow from Pic du Midi observatory - Photo obtained shortly before sunrise showing the shadow of the Earth projected on the sky. This blue - grey area rose hemmed is called an anti-repuscular arch or Venus belt. Image obtained from the observatory of the Pic du Midi in January 2010. Image showing Earth's shadow projected onto the sky. It is visible as a blue - gray zone. This phenomena is called the belt of Venus. January 2010 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4655699: Observatory of the Pic du Midi - Pic du Midi observatory - In the foreground the dome of the T60, in the middle the dome of the T1M and to the right the dome of the coronographers / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656437: The SOFIA telescope - SOFIA telescope - View of the 2.5m mirror of the infrared telescope SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) ships aboard a Boeing 747 on 20 May 2010. Faint specks of starlight are reflected by the 100 - inch (2.5 meter) primary mirror on NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) during ground testing of the Faint Object Infrared Camera for the SOFIA Telescope (FORCAST). May 20, 2010 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656710: View of the VLT, Very Large Telescope, consists of 4 main telescopes 8.2m in diameter. Located in the Atacama desert in northern Chile, at an altitude of 2,635 metres, it studies the sky in wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet to infrared - This european observatory accomodates the Very Large Telescope (VLT) since 1998. Four 8.2m telescopes are used besides several other telescopes from 1.8m to 4m. The four giant telescopes are named ANTU, KUEYEN, MELIPAL and YEPUN. Cerro Paranal is 2600 meters in altitude in Atacama desert: Observatoire du Paranal-Le VLT - The Very Large Telescope (VLT) / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656740: Paranal Observatory - The VLT - 2006 - View of the VLT, Very Large Telescope, consists of 4 main telescopes measuring 8.2m in diameter. From left to right, the telescopes ANTU, Kueyen, MELIPAL and YEPUN. In the foreground, the 4 auxilliary telescopes measuring 1.8m in diameter. Located in the Atacama desert in northern Chile, at an altitude of 2,635 metres, the VLT studies the sky in wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet to infrared / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656935: Cerro Paranal and Very Large Telescope (VLT) - Paranal observatory, Chile, 2007. - The Cerro Paranal Observatory in Chile has been hosting the European Very Large Telescope (VLT) network since 1998. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) here uses four telescopes measuring 8.2 m in diameter, as well as telescopes measuring 1.8 m to 4 m in diameter: it is the largest observatory in the world. Cerro Paranal is located at 2500 m above sea level, in the Atacama desert. Paranal observatory seen from Atacama desert, 2007. This european observatory accomodates the Very Large Telescope (VLT) since 1998. Four 8.2m telescopes are used besides several other telescopes from 1.8m to 4m. Cerro Paranal is 2500 meters in altitude / Bridgeman Images

PIX4657007: Paranal Observatory, Chile 03/2008 - Paranal Observatory, Chile 03/2008 - Yepun, one of the four 8.2m telescopes, and three of the four 1.8m auxiliary telescopes. March 2008. Paranal Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on the top of Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert in the northern part of Chile. This picture shows at left Yepun, one of the four 8,2m telescopes, with three auxiliary telescopes. March 2008 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4659159: Brandberg Mountain - Namibia - view by Landsat - 7 09/02 - Brandberg Mountain observed by Landsat satellite - 7 on 10/09/2002 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4655402: Telescope OWL - Artist's view of this telescope project of 100m diameter / Bridgeman Images

PIX4655532: The Observatory of Paris - Coupole Arago - Paris observatory - The Observatory and the Meridian seen from the gardens of the Observatory. Paris meridian running through the garden of Paris observatory / Bridgeman Images

PIX4655342: The control room of the telescope of 1,93m of the OHP - Haute - Provence Observatory, 1,93 m telescope control room. - The control room of the telescope of 2 meters of the observatory of Haute Provence. This telescope is mainly used to search for other planetary systems. This is where the first exoplanet was discovered in 1995. The 1,93 m telescope control room of the Haute-Provence Observatory (OHP). Here has been discovered the first exoplanet in 1995. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658323: Santa Claus in Lapland - Santa Claus in Lapland - Santa Claus in Lapland. Kittila, Finland. Father Christmas in Lapland. Kittila, Finland / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658282: Santa Claus in Lapland - Santa Claus in Lapland - Santa Claus in Lapland. Kittila, Finland. Father Christmas in Lapland. Kittila, Finland / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658360: Sahara - Algeria - seen by shuttle - Sahara (detail), Algeria, seen by shuttle STS - 68 on 11/10/1994 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658498: Irrigated fields - Saudi Arabia - Irrigated fields - Saudi Arabia - Image obtained from the International Space Station (ISS) on February 11, 2017. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658959: Eastern Africa seen by satellite - View obtained by Terra satellite in January 2003 from the Eastern Africa region. The Afar, the junction point of three tectonic plates, the Arabic plate, the Somali plate and the African plate, is visible at the top right along the Red Sea. Ethiopia covers most of the image, crossed by the great African Rift that continues south towards Kenya / Bridgeman Images

PIX4659016: Madagascar seen by shuttle 12/99 - Madagascar seen by shuttle STS-103 on 25/12/1999. A portion of the shuttle is visible in the left corner of the image / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658266: Santa Claus in Lapland - Santa Claus in Lapland - Santa Claus in Lapland. Kittila, Finland. Father Christmas in Lapland. Kittila, Finland / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658464: Apollo 17: Africa and Saudi Arabia - Part of Africa and Saudi arabia - Apollo 17 - View of Saudi Arabia and the north eastern portion of the African continent was photographed by the Apollo 17 astronauts with a hand - held camera on their translunar coast towards lunar landing. Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia are some of the African nations visible. Iran, Iraq and Jordan are not so clearly visible because of cloud cover and their particular location in this picture. India is dimly visible at right of frame. The Red Sea is seen entirely in this one frame. The Gulf of Suez, the Dead Sea, Gulf of Aden, Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman are also visible. December 7 1972 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658584: Sinai Peninsula Shuttle View 01/03 - Sinai Peninsula seen by Shuttle STS-107 in March 2002 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658647: The Sinai Peninsula seen by the Space Shuttle, STS-98 mission, February 18, 2001. - The Sinai Peninsula seen by the Space Shuttle, STS-98 mission, February 18, 2001 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4658656: The Suez Canal seen by the Columbia Shuttle, STS missions - 94, 05/07/1997. - The Suez Canal seen by the Columbia Shuttle, STS missions - 94, 05/07/1997. - The Suez Canal seen by the Columbia Shuttle, STS missions - 94, 05/07/1997 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656020: Lactee route on the observatory of La Silla - Chile - T3.6m and CAT - Milky way - La Silla observatory - CAT and 3.6m domes - The lactee route and the Grand cloud of Magellan on the domes of CAT and 3,6m. La Silla Observatory. 2006 Milky way and Large Magellanic Cloud with domes of the CAT and 3,6m telescopes at La Silla observatory, Chile. 200 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656390: Stefanik Observatory - Pragu / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656579: Shooting star on the Tenerife Observatory - Fireball above Teide observatory: A lightning speed -8.5 passes over the solar laboratory (SolarLab) of the Teide Observatory, Tenerife, Canary Islands. In the sky, the brightest point at the top of the image is the planet Jupiter, in the constellation of Taurus. November 11, 2012. A -8.5m fireball photographed at the Observatorio del Teide, in Tenerife, Canary Islands. The pyramidal building is a solar telescope (SolarLab) and the red light is produced by someone walking around to his camera / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656669: Paranal Observatory - The VLT - Paranal Observatory - The VLT - View of the 4 8.2m telescopes of the VLT, Very Large Telescope, at the top of Cerro Paranal in Chile / Bridgeman Images

PIX4656888: Laser shooting at the Paranal Observatory. - The VLT Laser Guide Star - View of the LGS (Laser Guide Star), a laser beam launches from the Yepun telescope (UT4) of the VLT. This laser creates an artificial star in the high atmosphere at about 90 km altitude. This repere is analysed and each variation of turbulence in the atmosphere is detected and corrected by the adaptive optics of the telescope. A 50 cm wide yellow laser beam is coming out of Yepun, (UT4) of the Very Large Telescope. It is used to create a yellow artificial star at 95 km of altitude which helps the adaptive optics to measure and correct the atmosphere's blurring effect. On the left, the two Magellanic Clouds, on the right, the VST dome / Bridgeman Images

PIX4657167: Paranal Observatory - Chile - Paranal Observatory - Chile - The lactee road above the Paranal Observatory in Chile. The road leading to the observatory is equipped with solar energy lighting that preserves the night sky from light pollution. On the right, the light halo of the city of Antofagasta, 120 km from the. 1 September 2008. Milky way above Paranal observatory, Chile. Sep 1st 2008. The road to the observatory is lightened by solar powered leds to avoid light pollution. At right, light pollution from the city of Antofagasta, 120 km away / Bridgeman Images