# First light at the Very Large Telescope (25 May 1998)

URL: https://allhistories.com/chile/timeline/1998-first-light-at-the-very-large-telescope
Location: Cerro Paranal, Antofagasta
Themes: Science

The first of four 8.2-metre unit telescopes of the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) captures its first images at Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert. When completed, the facility becomes one of the most productive ground-based observatories in the world. The observatory sits at an altitude of about 2,600 metres, where dry, stable air offers exceptional observing conditions.

## Why it matters
The VLT confirmed northern Chile's status as a world centre of astronomy, hosting a growing share of global telescope capacity.

Ruler at the Time: [Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle](https://allhistories.com/chile/rulers/eduardo-frei-ruiz-tagle)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Very Large Telescope](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_Large_Telescope)
- [Wikipedia — Paranal Observatory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranal_Observatory)
- [Wikipedia — Democracy (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_transition_to_democracy)