Dynamic La Silla

ESO’s La Silla Observatory is a very dynamic place. Once the night settles, astronomers start buzzing around, as can be seen by the traces of parking lights. The telescopes come to life, scanning the sky in search of their targets, while our Earth continues its journey through space and around the Sun — a movement we can deduce from the star trails visible in the sky. Such trails are obtained by using long exposure times. As the stars seem to move across the sky, they leave behind a trail of light, similarly to how the car lights are captured in this picture.