ESO European Southern Observatory

ROSAT was launched on June 1, 1990, and is now collecting excellent sharp images of an expected 100000 new X-ray sources in the sky [4.40,41]. Another example of superb optical surfaces with Zerodur mirrors is the optical system for the ESO (European Southern Observatory) New Technology Telescope (NTT) with a 3.6 m primary mirror. Primary, secondary, and tertiary mirrors have been finished with extraordinarily smooth surfaces, and in connection with the active correction of the primary, this telescope marked a milestone in modern astronomy. 

European Southern Observatory Karl-Schwarzschild str. 2 D-85748 Garching bei Munchenl pdierick eso.org... 

European Southern Observatory(ESO), 3107 Alonso de Cordova, Vitacura,... 

By their very definition, the sky sciences are an open area. It was international partnerships within the European astrophysical community that opened the way to economic and political unification. Indeed, Europe began in the sky, with the foundation of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the European Space Agency (ESA), and today, astrophysical conferences have become planetary events. We can only rejoice ... 

Fig. 5.2. Overwhelmingly Large Telescope (OWL) of the European Southern Observatory (ESO)...

Mirrors measuring 8.2 m in diameter (Fig. 4-13) were produced by the Schott Glaswerke for the Very Large Telescopes (VLT) of the European Southern Observatory (ESO). They are being installed in mirror telescopes at the observatory in La Sila, Chile. 

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has started operations of a telescope on La Silla in Chile that has a meniscus-shaped monolithic Zerodur mirror substrate of 3.6 m in diameter, a thickness of only 240 mm, and a weight of 6.5 t (see Fig. 4.62). The reduced weight has significant advantages for a lighter and more cost-efficient design of the telescope. 

ESO/VLT European Southern Observatory/Very Large Telescope SEVIRI Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infra-Red Imager SPOT Solar Patrol Observing Telescope ROSAT Roentgen Satellite... 

In the visible, ground based telescopes provide the necessary instruments, with imaging cameras with a large field of view and sensitive high resolution spectrometers. Similar instruments are developed in the near infrared spectral region, that is well accessible from the ground, (see e.g. the instrument available at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) http //www.eso.org). 

One of these projects is the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) (see Fig. 9.9). Earth sized planets will be discovered and the atmospheres of giant planets can be studied with these new fascinating facilities. The detection of the planets will be made by precise velocity measurements and larger planets can be directly observed. The telescope will have a diameter of 42 m and be operated by ESO, the European Southern Observatory. 

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