La Silla Observatory

The La Silla Observatory on the 2,400 m high mountain La Silla was the first observatory of the European Southern Observatory ( ESO) in Chile, at the meantime, another observatory has been added on Cerro Paranal.

Even before the official establishment of the ESO in 1964 began the search for a promising location for an astronomical observatory in the southern hemisphere of the earth. After an initial search in South Africa 's interest soon turned to cheaper locations near the coast of northern Chile. Finally they decided on the 160 km north of La Serena located Cinchado, according to its form also called La Silla (Spanish for the saddle), as the site of ESO's observatory. In 1969, the observatory was opened on La Silla.

La Silla is home to many telescopes that were but partly operated by ESO itself, partly by other institutes and universities are. Many smaller telescopes have now been decommissioned, La Silla but also plays in the age of the Very Large Telescope of ESO 's Paranal Observatory of yet an important role.

- 29.25 - 70.733333333333Koordinaten: 29 ° 15 '0 " S, 70 ° 44 ' 0 " W