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T H E
M E S S E N G E R
The ESO
V L T P ro je c t: C u rre n t S ta tu s
S in c e
th e
la s t re p o rt a b o u t th e
E S O
V e ry L a rg e T e le s c o p ein th eM essenger
(4 4 ,
3 7 ;
J u n e
1 9 8 6 ),
th is
p r o je c t
h a s
p a s s e d
a n
im p o r ta n t m ile s to n e
o n
it s
w ay
to w a rd s
re a liz a tio n . M o r e
th a n
8 0
s c ie n tis ts a n d
e n g in e e rs fro m
th e
E S O
m e m b e r c o u n trie s(a n d
beyond) m etin
V e n ic e b y th e
e n d
o f S e p te m b e r 1 9 8 6 .
D u rin g o n e w e e k

th e y m a d e a d e ta ile d a s s e s s m e n t o f th is a m b itio u s u n d e r ta k - in g , w h ic h

a im s
a tth e
c o n s tru c tio n
o f
th e
w o r ld 's
la r g e s t
o p tic a l
te le s c o p e .
T h e re
w as
u n a n im o u s

a g re e m e n t th a t th e p re s e n t c o n c e p tisn e a r th e o p tim a l, th a t itis te c h n o lo g ic a lly fe a s ib le a n dc a n b e

r e a liz e d
w ith in
a p p r o x im a te ly
1 0
y e a rs
a fte r fu n d in g
h a s
b e e n
d e c id e d
u p o n ,
a n d
th a t
it
w ill
a llo w
E u ro p e a n
a s tro n o m e rs to p e rfo rm
n e w
and spec-
ta c u la r
in v e s tig a tio n s
o f
th e
u n iv e r s e ,
u n p a r a lle le d
e ls e w h e r e .
C o m p le tio n

is a im e da tin 1 9 9 8 b u t p a r t o f th eV L T m a y b e c o m e o p e ra tio n a la l re a d yin 1 9 9 3 .

T h e "W o rk s h o po n
E S O 's V e ry L a rg e
T e le s c o p e
11"w a s h e ldo n th e p r e m is e s
o f th e G io r g io
C in i F o u n d a tio n , V e n ic e ,
Ita ly , fr o m

S e p te m b e r2 9 to O c to b e r2 , 1 9 8 6 . T h e fo u r d a y s o f d is c u s s io n w e re a p p r o p r ia te ly c lo s e d w ith a v e ry p o s itiv e a p p r a is a l o f th eV L T p r o je c t b y M r. L u ig i G ra n e lli, Ita lia n M in is te r fo r C o o r d in a tio n o f S c ie n tific R e s e a rc h

a n d T e c h n o lo g y .
T h e m in is te r e m p h a s iz e d
th e im p o r ta n t
im p a c t o f th e p r o je c to n
E u ro p e a n
s c i-
e n c e a n d te c h n o lo g y a n d a ls o s tre s s e d
th e le a d in g ro le o f E u ro p ein th is fie ld .
D u rin g
it s
m e e tin g
o n
O c to b e r
3 ,
1 9 8 6 , th e
E S O
S c ie n tific a n d T e c h n ic a l
C o m m itte e
(S T C ), d e c id e d
t o
re c o m -
m end
th a t th e
p re s e n t c o n c e p t o f th e
V LT
p r o je c t
b e
p r o v is io n a lly
a c c e p te d
M o d e lo f a n 8 -m
u n it te le s c a p e .
2.
\u20221 1..\u00df
No.4 6 - Decem ber 1986
O p e n H a u s e a t E S O -G a rc h in g
T h e
Ita lia n
M in is te r fo r C o o r d in a tio n
o fS c ie n tific R e s e a rc h a n d
T e c h n o lo g y ,M r.
L .G r a n e lli
(rig h t), a n d th e D ir e c to r G e n e ra lo fE S O ,P r o fe s s o rL . W o ltje r, a t th e S e c o n dV L T W o rk s h o pin
V e n ic e .
b y th e
E S O
C o u n c il.Itis e x p e c te d th a t
th e
d e fin itiv e , d e ta ile d

p ro je c t p ro p o s a l w illb e p re s e n te din A p ril 1 9 8 7 a n d th a t a fin a l d e c is io n , in c lu d in g th e fin a n c in g b y m e m b e r s ta te s ,

m ay
b e
ta k e n
la te rin
1 9 8 7 .
T h e
c o s t
o f
th e
V LT
p ro p e r
is
e s tim a te d
a t
3 0 9
m illio n
D M
p lu s
4 8
m illio nD M
fo r a u x ilia ry in s tr u m e n ta tio n .
T h e
E S O
V LT
p r o je c t c o n s is ts

o fa n a rra y o f 4 te le s c o p e s , e a c h o f w h ic h h a s a s in g le - b la n k m ir r o r w ith a d ia m e te r o f 8 m e tre s , re s u ltin gina to ta l, e q u iv a le n t a p e rtu re

o f1 6
m e tre s . T h e
te le s c o p e s
c a n
b e
u s e d
in d iv id u a lly
0 1 '
c o m b in e d ,
d e p e n d in go n

th e ty p e o f o b s e r v a tio n s , g iv in ga n u n p r e c e d e n te d d e g re e o f fle x i\ue000 b ility a n d g r e a tly e n h a n c in g th e o b s e r v \ue000 in g

e ffic ie n c y .
D u rin g
th e
p a s t
tw o
y e a rs ,
s e v e ra l
s p e c ia liz e d
W o r k in g
G ro u p s
h a v e
e v a lu a te d
th e
s c ie n tific
p ro g ra m m e s
w h ic h
c a n
b e
e n v is a g e d

w ith th eE S OV LT . A m o n g th e s e , o b s e r \ue000 v a tio n s o f th e fa in te s t a n d m o s t d is ta n t q u a s a r s a n d g a la x ie s w ill h a v e a p r o f o u n d im p a c to n

c o s m o lo g y , th e
s tu d y o f th e
s tru c tu re
a n d
e v o lu tio n
o f th e
u n iv e r s e
inw hic h
w e
liv e . H ig h - r e s o lu tio n
s p e c \ue000
tra l
o b s e rv a tio n s
w ill
a llo w
a
d e ta ile d
c h e m ic a l a n a ly s is
o f in d iv id u a l s ta rs
in

o u r o w n a n din o th e r g a la x ie s , c o n tr ib u t\ue000 in g to o u r k n o w le d g e o f th e e v o lu tio n o f g a la x ie s

a n d
th e
g e n e s is

o f e le m e n ts . W h e n u s e din th e in te rfe ro m e tric m o d e , th eV LT w ill a c h ie v e a n g u la r r e s o lu tio n s

in
th e
m illia r c s e c o n d
ra n g e
a n d

p e rm it o b s e r v a tio n s o f th e in n e r m o s t re g io n s o f fo r

in s ta n c e
s ta rfo rm in g
a re a s
a n d
g a la x y
n u c le i
w hic h
m ay
h a v e
b la c k
h o le s n e a r th e ir c e n tre s . T h e s e a re b u t a
fe w
o f th e
m a n y , e x tre m e ly
in te re s tin g
o b s e r v a tio n a l p o s s ib ilitie s w ith
th eE S O
V LTw h ic h w e re id e n tifie d b y th e W o r k \ue000
in g G r o u p s a n d d is c u s s e dinV e n ic e .
T h e
te c h n o lo g ic a lly
m ost
a d v a n c e d
a u x ilia r y
in s tru m e n ta tio n
is
n e e d e d
to
p e rfo rm
th e s e
o b s e rv a tio n s
a n d
m uch
tim e w a s d e d ic a te d

toth is c e n tra l s u b \ue000 je c t. A g re a t v a rie ty o f in s tru m e n ts , im \ue000 a g in g a n d s p e c t r o s c o p ic , v is u a la s w e il a s

in fra re d , w e re
p ro p o s e d .
B a s e d
o n
th e s e s u g g e s tio n s , a p re lim in a ry fu n d a \ue000
m e n ta l in s tru m e n ta tio n
p a y lo a d
fo r th e
V LT w illn o w
b e e s ta b lis h e d a n d c ir c u \ue000
la te d
fo r fu rth e r d is c u s s io n
in
th e
u s e r
c o m m u n ity . It w a s s tre s s e d th a t itisth e
in te n tio n to in v o lv e n a tio n a l la b o r a to r ie s
in
th e
m em ber
c o u n trie s
in
th e
c o n \ue000
s tru c tio n
o f
th e s e
c o m p lic a te d ,

h ig h \ue000 te c h n o lo g y in s tru m e n ts , a lth o u g h a m a \ue000 jo r p a rt o f th e n e c e s s a ry fu n d s w ill h a v e t oc o m e th ro u g h

E S O .
A m o n g th e s till u n r e s o lv e d q u e s tio n s
isth e
c h o ic e
o f a s ite

fo r th eV LT . D e \ue000 ta ile d m e te o r o lo g ic a l o b s e r v a tio n s h a v e c o n fir m e d th e e x c e lle n c y o f th e

L aS illa
s ite ,
but even
b e tte l' o b s e r v in g
c o n d i\ue000

tio n s m a y p o s s ib lyb e fo u n do n th e to p o f m o u n ta in s fu rth e r n o rthin th e A ta c a m a d e s e r t. F o llo w in g

lo c a l in v e s tig a tio n s , a
p r o m is in g
s ite
h a s
b e e n
id e n tifie d
a t
C e rro
P a ra n a l,
a b o u t
1 5 0

k ilo m e tr e s s o u th o fth eto w n o f A n to fa g a s ta . T h e re isa c le a r c o n s e n s u s th a t th e " s e e in g "(a

On Oeto b e l'2 5 , 1 9 8 6 , th e s c ie n c e in \ue000
s titu te s
in
G a re h in g
a g a in
jo in tly
0 1 '-
g a n iz e d
a n
O p e n -h o u s e
d a y . P re p a ra \ue000
tio n s
w e re
m ade
a t
E S O
d u rin g
th e
w eeks
b e fo re ,
e s ta b lis h in g
a
w e ll- d e \ue000
fin e d
p a th
th ro u g h th e
E S O
H e a d q u a r-
m e a s u re o f th e a tm o s p h e ric tu rb u le n c e
w h ic h
d e g ra d e s
th e
s h a rp n e s s
of as\ue000
t r o n o m ic a l im a g e s ) w ill p la y a d e c is iv e
ro le
inth e c h o ic e o f th eV L T s ite . H o w \ue000
e v e r,
o th e r c o n s id e r a tio n s
lik e
cost of
d e v e lo p m e n t o f a n e w s ite m u s t a ls ob e
ta k e n
in to
a c c o u n t.
In
th is
c o n te x t,
a

re d u c tio nino p e ra tin g c o s ts m a yb e o b \ue000 ta in e db y e x te n d e d u s e o f re m o te c o n tro l o f th eV L T ,fo r in s ta n c e fro m E u ro p e . T h is isn o w th o u g h t fe a s ib le ,in p a r tic u la r a fte r a v e ry s u c c e s s fu l e x p e r im e n t e a rlie r th is y e a r, d u r in g w h ic h a2 .2m te le s c o p eo n L aS illa w a s c o n tr o lle dv ia a c o m p u te r \ue000 to -c o m p u te r

s a te llite
lin k
b y
a s tro n o \ue000
m e rs
a t
th e
E S O
H e a d q u a rte rs
in
G a re h in g .
S in c e
th e
V e n ic e

W o rk s h o p , s e v e ra l m e e tin g s h a v e b e e n h e ldin th e m e m b e r c o u n trie s

a n d
th e
E S O
s c ie n tis ts
a n d
e n g in e e rs
h a v e
g iv e n
in fo rm a tiv e
ta lk s
a b o u t th e
V LT
in
a
v a rie ty
o f

p la c e s . W ith th e s u p p o r t o f th e In s titu t N a tio n a l d e s S c ie n c e s d e I'U n iv e r s(IN S U ) a n d its d ire c to r,M . B e rro ir, aV L T p re s s c o n fe r\ue000 e n c e t o o k p la c e a tL a V ille tte , P a ris ,o n N ovem ber1 3 . The

E S O

F in a n c e C o m \ue000 m itte e d is c u s s e d th eV L T p r o je c t d u r in g its m e e tin g la te rin N o v e m b e r ,a s w ill th e E S O

C o u n c il, w h e n it m e e ts a t th eE S O
H e a d q u a rte rso n
D ecem ber1 1
a n d1 2 ,
1 9 8 6 .
In
o rd e r
to
k e e p
0
th e
tig h t
V LT
s c h e d u le ,E S O
ise n g a g e d
ina ne x te n \ue000

s iv e p re p a ra to ry p ro g ra m m e . S in c e th e tim e s c h e d u leis s e t b y th e a c q u is itio n o f th e o p tic s , s o m e w o rko n a p ro to ty p e 8 \ue000 m

b la n k
s h o u ld
s ta rt a lre a d y
in

1 9 8 7 . B o th c o n v e n tio n a l m ir r o r m a te ria ls , b u t a ls o

a lu m in iu m
a n d
s te e l
a re
b e in g
te s te d a tE S O .A ll m irro rs w ill b e e x c e p \ue000
tio n a lly
th in
in
o r d e r to
re d u c e
w e ig h t
a n d th e re b y s ig n ific a n tly s a v e c o s t.E S O
h a s
re c e n tly
s u c c e s s fu lly
te s te d
th e

p r in c ip le o f " a c tiv e " o p tic s , b y c o m p u te r c o n tr o llin g th e s u rfa c e o f a th in 1 m e tre m ir r o r . T h is n e w c o n c e p t w illp la y a d e \ue000 c is iv e

ro le
in
th e
V LT ,
s o
th a t
itc a n
a c h ie v e a s u p e rio r p e rfo rm a n c e w h e n it
e n te rs in to o p e ra tio n .
N o te th a t th e P r o c e e d in g s o f th e V e n \ue000
ic e
W o rk s h o p
a n d
aV LT S lid e
S eta re
n o w a v a ila b le fr o m
E S O ;s e eth e a d v e r\ue000
tis e m e n tin th is is s u e o fth eM e s s e n g e r.
T h e E d ito r
te rs
w ith
d e m o n s tra tio n s
a n d
e x h ib i\ue000
tio n s a lo n g th e ro u te .
W hen
th e
d o o rs
o p e n e d
a t
9 a.m .,
s e v e ra l
v is ito r s
w e re
a lre a d y

w a itin g o u ts id e a n d d u rin g th e n e x t 7 h o u rs , th e o v e rw o rk e d

E S O
s ta ff
g u id e d
a b o u t
2
2 ,5 0 0
in te re s te d
p e rs o n s
th ro u g h
th e
b u ild in g ,
c o m p a re d
to
a b o u t
5 0 0
th e
y e a rs
b e fo re . W h a te v e r th e
re a s o n ,
a n
u n p re c e d e n te d
n u m b e r o f p e rs o n s h a d
d e c id e d
to
ta k e th e o p p o r tu n ity to v is it
o u r
o r g a n iz a tio n
a n d
le a rn
a b o u t
o u r
w o rk .
E a c h
o f th e m
w as
w e lc o m e d
a t
th e
e n tra n c e
a n d
r e c e iv e d
a n
E S O
b ro c h u re . T h e m o d e ls o f th e V e ry L a rg e
T e le s c o p e
a n d
th e
N ew
T e c h n o lo g y
T e le s c o p e w e re m u c h a d m ire d a n d th e
a u d ito riu m
w as
fille d
t o
th e
v e ry
lim it
w h e n th eE S Of ilm
w a s s h o w n e v e ry3 0
m in u te s .
In
th e
te rm in a l ro o m ,th e
a d \ue000
v a n c e d
im a g e
p r o c e s s in g
s y s te m s
c a u g h t
th e
e y e s
o f
c o m p u te r-m in d e d
p e rs o n s
a n d
th e
c h ild r e n
e n jo y e d
th e
in s ta n tly p lo tte dT V p ic tu re s . T h e n a m e s
a n d
o rb its
o f
m in o r
p la n e ts
a g a in

a t\ue000 tra c te d m u c h in te re s t a n dth e m a jo r p ic \ue000 to ria l e x h ib itio n a b o u tE S O

a n d th e s c i\ue000
e n c e
w h ic h
is
d o n e
a tL a
S illa
le d
to
e x te n s iv e d is c u s s io n s .A tth e e x it, th e re
w as
a h e c tic s a le
o fE S O
p ic tu re s a n d
s lid e s
a n d
m any
o rd e rs
w e re
r e c e iv e d
d u rin g
th e
fo llo w in g
d a y s
fro m
p e o p le
w ho
h a d
ta k e n
a lo n g
th e
P ic tu re
a n d
P u b lic a tio n s C a ta lo g u e .
T h eo v e r w h e lm in g , b u t e x tr e m e ly w e l\ue000
c om e
in flu x m a yb e ta k e n
a sa s ig n
o f
th e g re a te r v is ib ility o fE S O .
N ew
L ig h to n th e B in a ry P la n e t P lu to -C h a r o n
M .w .P A K U L La n dK .R E IN S C H , In s titu t f\u00fc r A s tr o n o m ie u n d A s tro p h y s ik ,
T e c h n is c h e U n iv e r s it\u00e4 t B e r lin
E a rth b o u n d
o b s e rv e rs
c u rre n tly
w it\ue000
n e s s
a rare
c e le s tia l p h e n o m e n o n
th a t
w ill o n ly r e c u rin
a b o u t 1 2 0 y e a rs . P re \ue000
s e n tly
th e
p la n e
o f
C h a r o n 's

in c lin e d o r b it a ro u n d P lu toiss w e e p in g o v e r th e in n e r

s o la r
s y s te m
a llo w in g
m u tu a l
o c c u lta tio n s
a n d
tra n s its
o f th e
p la n e -
ta ry
d is k s to
b e
o b s e r v a b le
fro m
e a rth
(c f.F ig .1 ).
S in c e th e s h a p e s o f th e r e s u ltin g lig h t
c u rv e s re fle c t th e
g e o m e try o f th e s y s \ue000
te m ,
w e
m ay
h o p e
t o
d e te rm in e
th e
r e la tiv e
s iz e s
a n d
a lb e d o s
o f th e
tw o
b o d ie s w ith m u c h b e tte r a c c u r a c y th a n
p r e v io u s ly p o s s ib le . T h is te c h n iq u eiso f
c o u rs e
w e il
know n
in
a s tro n o m y
a s
m uch
o f o u r k n o w le d g e
o f s te lla r ra d ii
fo r in s ta n c e
h a sb e e n
d e riv e d fro m
th e
a n a ly s is o f th e
lig h t c u r v e s o f e c lip s in g
b in a r ie s .
D ueto th e e x p e c te d e rro rsin th e re l-
3
of 00

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