Puerto de Ideas Antofagasta 2026: second night tour at Paranal Observatory will take place on 25 April

Following a successful first edition, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) will hold its second public night tour of ESO’s Paranal Observatory in northern Chile. The tour is taking place in the context of ESO’s participation in the Puerto de Ideas Antofagasta 2026 Science Festival, happening in the nearby city of Antofagasta. This tour will take place on Saturday 25April.: Registration is free, and spots are limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Key Information:

• Where: Paranal Observatory

• When: Saturday, 25 April.

• Time: Bus departs from Antofagasta at 14:30 and leaves Paranal Observatory at 19:50, when the tour ends.

• Registration: Free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Registration opens on April 16 via the Puerto de Ideas website.

• Capacity: 40. Limited spots available, on a first-come, first-served basis.

• What does the visit include?

  • Round-trip bus transportation from a pickup point in the city of Antofagasta, which will be communicated to confirmed visitors.

  • The tour at the observatory will last three hours, during which visitors will be able to see the opening of ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), watch the sunset from the Cerro Paranal platform, and visit the control room where the telescopes are operated. Additionally, depending on operational conditions, the tour will include access to one of the VLT Unit Telescopes (UT) and the Paranal Residencia.

  • At the end of the tour, there will be a guided naked-eye sky observation during which visitors can appreciate the beauty of the world’s clearest skies and become familiar with some of the celestial objects visible at this time of the year.

• Can I get there on my own?

  • No. ESO provides round-trip transportation from the pickup point in the city of Antofagasta only for confirmed visitors. It is not permitted to arrive at the observatory by your own means.

• When is the next night tour?

  • Unlike regular Saturday tours, these night tours are held only on select dates throughout the year, generally in conjunction with special regional or national events. Each new date will be announced on this website and on ESO Chile’s Instagram: @eso.chile .