Cerro Armazones

Cerro Armazones is a mountain located in the Sierra Vicuña Mackenna of the Chilean Coast Range of Andes, approximately 130 km (81 mi) south-east of Antofagasta in the Antofagasta Region, Chile. The mountain is located in a privileged zone for optical astronomy because it has 89% cloudless nights a year.[1] On 26 April 2010, the European Southern Observatory Council selected Cerro Armazones as the site for the planned Extremely Large Telescope (ELT); the construction began in June 2014,[2][3] and the first light is expected in 2027.[4] Before the construction of the ELT began, the elevation of Cerro Armazones had been 3,064 metres (10,052 ft),[4][5] but now the top is truncated and the resulting plateau is several meters lower.

Cerro Armazones
Aerial view of the Cerro Armazones
Highest point
Elevation3,046 m (9,993 ft)
Coordinates24°35′21″S 70°11′32″W
Geography
Cerro Armazones is located in Chile
Cerro Armazones
Cerro Armazones
Location in Chile
LocationAntofagasta Region, Chile
Parent rangeCordillera Vicuña Mackenna

On the neighbouring hill, 1 km (1 mi) to the southwest and 230 m (755 ft) below Cerro Armazones, there is the Polish astrophysical observatory, the Cerro Armazones Observatory, managed by the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw; observations are conducted by the Araucaria Project.

  • Supermoon rising up from behind Cerro Armazones.
    Supermoon rising up from behind Cerro Armazones.[6]
  • Night-time panorama of Cerro Armazones
    Night-time panorama of Cerro Armazones
  • Carving a route to Armazones, with Cerro Paranal and the Very Large Telescope in the background.
    Carving a route to Armazones, with Cerro Paranal and the Very Large Telescope in the background.
  • Result of the apparent motion of the stars through the southern sky.
    Result of the apparent motion of the stars through the southern sky.[7]
  • VLT's Auxiliary Telescope (AT) 2 with Cerro Armazones in the background. Credit: ESO/G. Lombardi
    VLT's Auxiliary Telescope (AT) 2 with Cerro Armazones in the background. Credit: ESO/G. Lombardi
  • Sunset Cerro Armazones.
    Sunset Cerro Armazones.
  • 360 panorama.
    360 panorama.
  • After the groundbreaking back in June 2014, work continues on Cerro Armazones in preparation for construction work on the E-ELT.
  • The peak of Cerro Armazones appears flattened as efforts continue to craft a platform for the European Extremely Large Telescope.

References
  1. Schöck, M.; Els, S.; Riddle, R.; Skidmore, W.; Travouillon, T.; Blum, R.; Bustos, E.; Chanan, G.; Djorgovski, S. G.; Gillett, P.; Gregory, B.; Nelson, J.; Otárola, A.; Seguel, J.; Vasquez, J.; Walker, A.; Walker, D.; Wang, L. (1 April 2009). "Thirty Meter Telescope Site Testing I: Overview". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 121 (878): 384–395. arXiv:0904.1183. Bibcode:2009PASP..121..384S. doi:10.1086/599287.
  2. "E-ELT Site Chosen". Europe: European Southern Observatory. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  3. "Astronomers to blow top off mountain to make way for world's biggest". The Independent. 2014-06-19. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
  4. information@eso.org. "Facts | ELT | ESO". elt.eso.org. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  5. Joint Operations Graphic (JPEG) (Map) (1st ed.). 1 : 250,000. 1501. Defence Mapping Agency Topographic Center. 1974. p. Sheet SG 19-2.
  6. "Supermoon beckons in the new year". www.eso.org. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  7. "Ripples Across the Chilean Sky". ESO Picture of the Week. Retrieved 29 May 2013.


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