The Paranal Basecamp from above

Looking down from a vantage point at the ESO Very Large Telescope on Cerro Paranal in the Chilean Atacama Desert, the observatory’s basecamp stretches out below. The Paranal Residencia, a haven for those working on the mountain, can be seen near the centre with the dome on its roof. To the left of the Residencia, on the other side of the road, is the basecamp’s gymnasium, and to the left of that is the Mirror Maintenance Building (MMB), where the giant VLT mirrors are periodically cleaned and recoated. Behind the MMB is the site’s power station, and further to the left is the mechanical workshop building. Winding up the mountainside in the foreground is the Star Track, a walking path from the Residencia to the summit.

The Sun had set about a quarter of an hour before this photograph was taken, leaving the basecamp bathed in beautiful orange light. This twilight creates gentle shadows which give the hills great depth. Such a sight at Paranal can only be seen during the so-called "golden hours" before sunrise or after sunset, as direct sunlight during the day results in unforgiving lighting contrasts.

This panoramic photograph was created by ESO Photo Ambassador Gerhard Hüdepohl.