messenger-no77

N o . 7 7 - S e p te m b e r 1 9 9 4

T h e E n c o u n te ro f C o m e t S h o e m a k e r-L e v y9 w ith J u p ite r

A n

e x tra o rd in a ry e v e n t to o k p la c e

in

J u ly

1 9 9 4 :th e

c o llis io n

o fac o m e t w ith J u p ite r (C o m e t

S h o e m a k e r-L e v y9 ).T h e re is e v e r y in d ic a tio n th a t th is is a n e x tr e m e ly ra re e v e n t. F o r th is re a s o n

th e p la n e ta ry a s tro n o m e rsin

th e

w o rld o r g a n iz e d a n d c a rrie d o u t e x te n s iv e o b s e rv a tio n so fth e

e n c o u n te r. T h e d a ta o b ta in e d a re tru ly u n iq u e .

T h is is s u eo fth e M e s s e n g e r p r e s e n ts fir s t re s u lts o b ta in e d a t E S O L a S illa (s e e p a g e s2 8 -4 9 ).

L a te s t D e v e lo p m e n ts A ro u n d P a ra n a l

R .G IA C C O N I, D ire c to r G e n e ra lo fE S O

T h e reh a v e b e e n a n u m b e r o f im p o r\ue000 ta n t d e v e lo p m e n ts a ro u n d th e P a ra n a lis \ue000 s u e s in c e m y la s t re p o rtin th e E S O M e s \ue000 s e n g e r (J u n e 1 9 9 4 ).Inp a rtic u la r, C o u n \ue000 c ild e c id e d

to

c o n tin u e th e

c o n s tru c tio n o f th e V L T O b s e rv a to rya tP a r a n a l, w h ile a t th e

sam e

tim e

re q u e s tin g

th e

E S O

M a n a g e m e n t to p u r s u e th e o n g o in g s tu d \ue000

ie s

o f a lte rn a tiv e

s o lu tio n s .

D u rin g

th e

p a s t

m o n th s ,

p ro g re s s

h a s

a ls o

b e e n

a c h ie v e d to w a r d s th e c o n c lu s io n

of ne\ue000 g o tia tio n s o f a S u p p le m e n ta r y T re a ty b e \ue000 tw e e n C h ile a n d E S O .

T h e C o u n c il D e c is io n s

T h e

E S O

C o u n c il

m et

in

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n a ry s e s s io n

a t th e

E S O

H e a d q u a rte rs

o n

A u g u s t

8

a n d

9 ,

1 9 9 4 .

T h e

m a in

a g e n d a

ite m s w e re

c o n c e rn e d

w ith

th e

re c e n t

d e v e lo p m e n ts

a ro u n d

E S O 's

re la tio n s

w ith

th e

R e p u b lic o f C h ile , a s

w e ll a s th e s ta tu s o f th e

V LT

p r o je c ta t

P a ra n a !.

T h is m e e tin g fo llo w e d c o n tin u e d c o n \ue000

s u lta tio n s

a t d iffe re n t

le v e ls

w ith in

th e

E S O

m e m b e r s ta te s a n d in c lu d e d c a re \ue000 fu l c o n s id e r a tio n o f a ll a s p e c ts o f th e c u r\ue000 re n t s itu a tio n . C o u n c il to o k n o te o f re c e n t p o s itiv e

d e v e lo p m e n ts

w h ic h

h a v e

o c \ue000 c u rre d s in c e th e M a y 1 9 9 4 ro u n d o f d is \ue000 c u s s io n s w ith

th e

C h ile a n

a u th o ritie sin S a n tia g o . T h e c o n fir m a tio n o f E S O 's im \ue000 m u n itie s a sa nIn te rn a tio n a l O rg a n iz a tio n

inC h ile , c o n ta in e d ina n u m b e r o f im p o r\ue000

ta n t s ta te m e n ts a n d d o c u m e n ts ,isc o n \ue000

s id e r e d a s ig n ific a n t s te p b y th e C h ile a n

G o v e rn m e n tto in s u r e to E S O th e u n h in \ue000

d e re d e re c tio n a n d la te r o p e ra tio n o f th e

V LTo nP a ra n a !.

U n d e r th e s e c irc u m s ta n c e s a n dino r\ue000

d e r

to

m a in ta in

p ro g re s s

o n

th e

V LT

p ro je c t, th e E S O

C o u n c il a u th o riz e d th e

E S O

M a n a g e m e n t to

c o n tin u e

th e

o n \ue000

s ite w o rk a t P a ra n a !.

C o u n c il a ls o

to o k

n o te

o f th e

d e s ir e e x p r e s s e d b y th e C h ile a nG o v e rn m e n tto c o m p le te n e g o tia tio n o f a S u p p le m e n ta r y a n d A m e n d in g A g re e m e n t, a n ditw as de\ue000 c id e d th a t a C o u n c il D e le g a tio n s h a ll c o n \ue000 c lu d ea ss o o n a s p o s s ib le th e n e g o tia tio n o f th is A g re e m e n t. C o u n c il n o te d th a t th e C h ile a n D e le g a tio n h a s a c c e p te d E S O 's in v ita tio n to h o ld th e fin a l ro u n d o f n e g o \ue000 tia tio n s

in

E u ro p e

a n d

p ro p o s e d

th a tit

s h a ll b e

h e ld

inth e e a rly a u tu m n

1 9 9 4 ,

i.e . w e ll b e fo r e fh e n e x t C o u n c il m e e tin g

o nN ovem ber 3D -D ecem ber1 , 1994.

N o n e th e le s s , C o u n c il a ls o e x p r e s s e d

its p r e o c c u p a tio n w ith re g a rd to re m a in -

1

in g

a m b ig u itie s

c o n ta in e d

in

som e

o ffi\ue000

c ia l s ta te m e n ts

a c c o r d in g

to

w h ic h

th e

fo rm a l

r e c o g n itio n

o f

E S O 's

s ta tu s

o n

P a r a n a l w o u ld d e p e n do n th e c o n c lu s io n

o f th e

a b o v e -m e n tio n e d

A g re e m e n t.A t th e M a y 1 9 9 4 m e e tin g sin S a n tia g o , u n \ue000 d e rs ta n d in g

had been

re a c h e d th a t th is

A g re e m e n t

w ill

m e re ly

c o n firm

th e

a l\ue000

r e a d y e x is tin g

le g a l s itu a tio n . T h e

m a in

o b je c tiv e

is

to

e x p a n d

th e

c o o p e ra tio n

b e tw e e n C h ile a n d E S O

b yg ra n tin g e n \ue000 s u re d a c c e s s fo r C h ile a n a s tro n o m e rs to E S O 's fa c ilitie s a n d in c o r p o r a te e le m e n ts o f C h ile a n la b o u r le g is la tio n in to th e E S O in te rn a l s ta ff re g u la tio n s .

In

v ie w

o f th e s e

c irc u m s ta n c e s , a n d

p e n d in g

th e

s u c c e s s fu l

c o n c lu s io n

o f

th e s e n e g o tia tio n s , C o u n c il th e re fo re in \ue000

s tru c te d

th e

E S O

M a n a g e m e n t to

c o n \ue000

tin u e

e x p lo r in g

a lte rn a tiv e

s ite s

fo r th e

V L T .

In

a fin a l s ta te m e n t, th e

E S O

C oun\ue000 c ila g a in e x p r e s s e d its h o p e th a t th e s c i\ue000 e n tific c o -o p e ra tio n b e tw e e n E u ro p e a n d C h ileinth e fie ld o f a s tr o n o m y w h ic h b e \ue000 g a nin1 9 6 3 w ill c o n tin u e to d e v e lo p a n d e x p a n d w e ll in to th e n e x t c e n tu r y to th e m u tu a l b e n e fito fs c ie n c ein b o th c o m m u \ue000 n itie s .

T h e C o n tin u a tio n o f th e V L T

P ro je c t a t P a ra n a l

Inp ra c tic a l te rm s , th e a b o v e d e c is io n

b yC o u n c il im p lie s th a t E S O

isn o w ta k \ue000

in g

th e

s te p s

n e c e s s a ry

to

m ove

fro m

E u r o p e to P a ra n a l th e m a in m e c h a n ic a l

p a rts o f th e

ro ta tin g

dom e

(to ta l w e ig h t

a ro u n d

5 0 0

to n s ) fo r th e

firs tV LT

8 .2 \ue000

m e tre

u n it te le s c o p e . T h e

tra n s p o rt w ill

b e g in

in

la te

S e p te m b e r a n d

it

is

e x -

p e c te d

th a t th e

s h ip

w ill u n lo a d

its p r e \ue000

c io u s c a rg o

inA n to fa g a s ta s o m e tim e

in

N o v e m b e r . T h e a s s e m b ly a t P a r a n a l w ill b e g in s o o n th e re a fte r, o n c e th e c o n c re te base, now

u n d e r c o n s tru c tio n ,isre a d y .

T h is w ill e n a b le th e

V LT

p r o je c t to s ta y

w ith in

th e

p la n n e d

tim e lin e

fo r c o m p le \ue000

tio n ju s t a fte r th e y e a r2 0 0 0 .

A Visit to C hile

Ino rd e r to a s s e s s th e c u rre n t s itu a tio n

inC h ile , I p a id

a v is it to th is c o u n tr y

in

th e p e rio d A u g u s t2 3 -2 6 , 1 9 9 4 , to g e th e r

w ith

th e

H ead

o f th e

V LT

p ro je c t, P ro f.

M .T a re n g h i.

O n

A u g u s t2 4

w e

v is ite d

th e P a ra n a l s ite to g e th e r w ith th e A n to fa \ue000

g a s ta a u th o r itie s , in c lu d in g

m e m b e rs o f

th e

R e g io n a l G o v e r n m e n t a n d

a ls o

th e

M e m b e rs o f th e C h ile a n P a r lia m e n t fro m th e S e c o n d R e g io n , S e n a to rA .A le s s a n \ue000 d ri,

M e s s rs .

R .

G a ja rd o

a n d

F .

V a le n \ue000

z u e la . T h e M a y o r o f T a lta l a ls o jo in e d th e

v is ito r so nth e m o u n ta in to p .

B o th

th e s ite

a n d

th e fo u n d a tio n

la y \ue000 o u t w e re v e ry im p re s s iv e , a n d fo r th e firs t tim eitw a s p o s s ib le to g e t a fe e lin g o f th e fu ll m a g n itu d e o f th is e n o r m o u s p ro je c t. T h e re w e re m a n y p o s itiv e c o m m e n tsb y th e v is ito r s a n d th is w a sa n e x c e lle n t o p \ue000 p o r tu n ity fo r E S O to s h o w itsV LT p r o je c t a n d fu tu r e a m b itio n s to th e lo c a l a u th o r i\ue000 tie s .

L a te r th a td a y ,th eE S O

M anagem ent

m a d e a th o ro u g h p re s e n ta tio n o f th eV L T p ro je c tin th e p re s e n c e o f m o re th a n1 5 0 p e rs o n sa t H o te l A n to fa g a s tain th a tc ity . A m ong

th o s e

p re s e n t

w e re

th e

M em \ue000

b e rso f th e

P a rlia m e n t, v a rio u s a u th o r i\ue000

tie s fro m

th e A n to fa g a s ta a n d T a lta l m u \ue000

n ic ip a litie s a n d a ls o m a n y lo c a l b u s in e s s -

m e n . T h is e v e n t c o n fir m e d

th e

p o s itiv e

m ood

a n d

th e

p ro fo u n d

s u p p o r t w h ic h

E S O

e n jo y sin th e S e c o n d R e g io n . T h is

w as

a ls o

o b v io u s

d u rin g

a

v is it w h ic h

D a n ie l H o fs ta d t a n d

I p a id to th e

In te n \ue000

d e n te (G o v e rn o r) th e n e x td a y .

T r a v e llin g

o n

to

S a n tia g o

th e

n e x t

d a y ,o u r d e le g a tio n m e t w ith th e A m b a s \ue000

s a d o rs o f th e

E S O

m e m b e r s ta te s

a n d

w eg a v e a re p o rto n th e la te s t d e v e lo p \ue000 m e n ts a t th e E S O C o u n c il,a s w e ll a s th e s ta tu s

o f th e

re la tio n s

w ith

th e

C h ile a n

a u th o ritie s . T h e

sam e

d a y w e a tte n d e d

a m e e tin ga tth e

M in is tr y o f F o re ig n A f\ue000

fa irs

in

S a n tia g o d u rin g

w h ic h

p re p a ra \ue000 tio n s w e r e m a d e fo r th e fin a l n e g o tia tio n s o f th e S u p p le m e n ta ry A g re e m e n t.

L a te r th a t d a yw e

m e t w ith

M r.J.M .

In s u lz a , U n d e r-S e c re ta ry o f F o re ig n

A f\ue000

fa irs , fo r a fu rth e r e x c h a n g e o f v ie w so n

a llre la te d

m a tte rs .W e w e r e p le a s e d to

fe e l a g a in

th e

v e ry

p o s itiv e

a ttitu d e

o f

th e U n d e r-S e c re ta ry p e rs o n a lly a n d a ls o th e s in c e re d e s ireo fth e C h ile a n G o v e r n \ue000 m entto

s e e

th e

V LT

in s ta lle d

in

C h ile .

M r.In s u lz ais g o in g to v is it E u ro p e la te r

th is y e a r, a n dw eto o k th e o p p o rtu n ity to

e x te n d

a warm

in v ita tio n to

h im

to v is it

th eE S O

H e a d q u a rte rsin G a rc h in g d u r\ue000

in g h is s t a yinG e rm a n y .

F in a lly ,a sm a n y o f th e a d m in is tr a tiv e

a n d

s c ie n tific

a c tiv itie s

h a v e

n o w

b e e n

tra n s fe rre d fro m

L aS illa to S a n tia g o ,w e

d e c id e d

to

in a u g u ra te

th e

V ita c u ra

o f\ue000

fic e s

o n

th is

o c c a s io n . T h e

b rie f c e re \ue000 m o n y w a s a tte n d e d b y m a n y C h ile a n a s \ue000 tro n o m e rs a n d

re la te d

s c ie n tific a u th o r\ue000

itie s .

I to o k th is

o p p o rtu n ity to

e x p re s s

a g a in th e im p o r ta n c e o f c le a r s u p p o r t fo r

E S O 's c a s e

fro m

th e

s c ie n tific c o m m u \ue000

n ityinC h ile .

T E L E S C O P E S

A N D

IN S T R U M E N T A T IO N

V L T P ro g re s s R e p o rt

M .T A R E N G H I, E S O -G a rc h in g

T h efo llo w in g s e r ie so f p ic tu r e s b e s t illu s tr a te s th e e n o r m o u s p r o g r e s s m a d ein th e

V LT P r o je c t w h ic his n o w

inan e w a n d d y n a m ic p h a s eo f c o n s tr u c tio n .T h e r e c e n t d e c is io nb y th e C o u n c ilto c o n tin u e w ith th e e r e c tio n is

th en a tu r a l c o n s e q u e n c eo f th e m a jo r p r o g r e s s m a d ein th e c o n s tru c tio no f th e firs t u n it te le s c o p ein E u ro p e .T h e

firs t 8 .2 -m

m ir r o r is c u rre n tly u n d e rg o in g th e p o lis h in g p ro c e s sa t R E O S C , a n d th e firs t in te rfe ro g ra m

w a s ta k e n

s u c c e s s fu lly . B la n kn o .2is n o w r e a d y a n d S c h o tt w ill d e liv e ritto R E O S Cin O c to b e r. B la n k n o .3h a s s u c c e s s fu lly c o m p le te d th e c e r a m iz a tio n p h a s e .InM ila n , th e fo u n d a tio n s fo r th e p re -e re c tio nin E u ro p e a re re a d yto re c e iv e th e a z im u th tra c k ,1 6mind ia m e te r, w h ic h w a s m a c h in e da t A n s a ld o inG enova.

F ig u re

1 s h o w s th e

a z im u th tra c ko n

th etu rn in g

ta b le

s u p p o rte d

b yth e

s p e \ue000

c ia l to o l (th e

b lu e

p a rt) w h ic h

w as

d e -

2

s ig n e d

a n d

m a n u fa c tu re d

fo r

th e

V LT

P ro je c t.

E le m e n ts

o f th e

fo rk

s tru c tu re

h a v e

b e e n w e ld e d a n d m a c h in e d a s s h o w nin

F ig u re

2 .In

a d d itio n , m a n y o fth e

s u b \ue000

s y s te m s o f th e tu b e a reinth e a d v a n c e d

F ig u re1 .

F ig u re2 .

F ig u re3 .

F ig u re4 .

p h a s e o f m a n u fa c tu re ,a sc a nb e s e e nin

F ig u r e s 3 a n d4 .

Inth e c o u rs e o f th e firs t h a lf o f 1 9 9 5 ,

w ith th e fu ll in te g r a tio n o f th e te le s c o p ein M ila n , w e w illb e a b le to s e e th eV LTre \ue000 s e m b lin g F ig u r e 5 w h ic h s h o w s a g r a p h ic p re s e n ta tio n

o f th e

u n it te le s c o p e

p re \ue000

p a re d b yJ .Q u e b a tte .

W h ile te le s c o p e

n o . 1is re a d y to

b e

a s s e m b le d

in

M ila n , e n c lo s u r e

n o .1is

r e a d y t ob e a s s e m b le din C h ile . T h e c iv il e n g in e e r in g a c tiv itie so n P a ra n a l a re p ro \ue000 c e e d in g a s p la n n e d a n d w illb ere p o rte d

ing r e a te r d e ta ilina n a rtic le

inth e n e x t

M e s s e n g e r.

Itis

e x p e c te d

to

s ta rt th e

e re c tio n o f th e firs t e n c lo s u r ein D e c e m \ue000

ber 1994.

T h e fir s t e le m e n ts o f th e e n c lo s u re , th e

m in i- s e is m ic s u p p o r ts e m b e d d e d

in

th e

fo u n d a tio n s ,

a re

a lre a d y

in

C h ile

(F ig \ue000

ure 6o n

p a g e

4 ).In a fe w

w e e k s th e y

w illb e p la c e d a t t h e ir fin a l lo c a tio n .

A ll

s tru c tu ra l

e le m e n ts

o f

e n c lo s u r e

n o .

1

h a v e

b e e n

m a c h in e d ,

a n d

fo r

a few

c r itic a l s u b - a s s e m b lie s

th e re

w ill

b e

a

p re -e re c tio n

in

E u ro p e

to

te s t

p e rfo rm a n c e s

a n d

in te rfa c e s .

F ig u re

7

(p a g e 4 ) s h o w s th e u p p e r rin g o f th e fix e d

s tru c tu re

o n

w h ic h

th e

b o o g ie s

w illb e

F ig u re5 .

3

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