The Very Large Telescope (VLT)
The Very Large Telescope (VLT) is located at the Paranal Observatory in Chile's Atacama desert and is currently the world's largest and most advanced optical telescope. It comprises four 8.2 metre reflecting telescopes and three auxiliary 1 metre telescopes that can move about.
The VLT produces extremely sharp images using a special technique called optical inferometry and can capture light from the faintest and most remote objects in the Universe.
 Very Large Telescope © VLT |
Some facts about the telescope:
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The picture above shows one of the VLT telescope units under
construction back in the late 1990's.
An idea of scale can be gained by comparing the size of the telescope with the team of people beneath it. At this stage the structure to hold the mirror has not been assembled but you can see many other features. Where the main mirror will be positioned can be seen in the artist's drawing below showing the telescope in its enclosure. |
 The Telescope domes © VLT |
 Artists Impression of the telescope © VLT |
The photograph above shows the four main enclosures that make up the VLT.
With all four telescopes working together, the total light collecting power is equivalent to a 16 metre single telescope - thus making the VLT the largest optical telescope in the world. The advantage of using all four telescopes together is that distant objects that appear close together can be separated by a special technique called interferometry. This technique is required if astronomers are going to observe planets orbiting stars in their search for life in the Universe.
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Horsehead Nebula
© VLT
This image was taken with the VLT on 25 January 2002
Spiral Galaxy NGC1232
© VLT
This image was taken with the VLT on 23 September 1998
