La Silla

This image shows the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope which has been in operation at the La Silla observatory since 1984. The telescope is shared between the Max Planck Society and ESO, with the operation and maintenance being ESO's responsibility. The effect of the stars swirling above the telescope is created by taking the photograph with a very long exposure time, capturing the way the stars appear to move as the Earth rotates.