The UK, one of the leading nations in astronomical research, now joins what is probably the world's leading astronomical observatory. British astronomers now have access to some of the world's most advanced telescopes and a major stake in future developments including the vast 100-metre OWL [Overwhelmingly Large Telescope] project.
UK astronomers will now be able to use the four 8.2-metre and several 1.8-metre telescopes that comprise the Very Large Telescope [VLT] facility located in the northern part of the Atacama desert in Chile, as well as two 4-m class telescopes and several smaller ones at the ESO La Silla observatory further south. The UK will also benefit from increased involvement in the design and construction of the Atacama Large Millimetre Array [ALMA], a network of 64 twelve-metre telescopes also sited in Chile, and play a defining role in ESO's 100-metre Overwhelmingly Large [OWL] telescope.
Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Sainsbury said, " I am sure I speak for the entire UK astronomy community when I say how much we are looking forward to participating in ESO and taking advantage of its marvellous facilities. I hope very much the UK's participation will lead to a strengthening of ESO and a widening of its capabilities for astronomical research."
Sir Martin Rees, The Astronomer Royal, said," Joining ESO is good for UK science, and I think good for Europe as well. It offers us access to the VLT's 8m class telescopes and restores the UK's full competitiveness in optical astronomy. We're now guaranteed full involvement in ALMA and in the next generation of giant optical instruments - projects that will be at the forefront of the research in the next decade and beyond. Moreover, our commitment to ESO should enhance its chances of forging ahead of the US in these technically challenging and high profile scientific projects. UK membership of ESO is a significant and welcome outcome of this government's increasing investment in science."
Prof. Ian Halliday, Chief Executive of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council [PPARC], the UK's strategic science investment agency said, " The United Kingdom already participates in Europe's flagship particle physics research and the space science research programmes through membership of CERN and the European Space Agency. Both of which provide UK scientists with access to world-class facilities that, on a national basis alone, we could not begin to consider. Joining ESO consolidates this strategy for UK astronomers and redresses the balance of UK ground based facilities compared to other European countries, Japan and the US".
The ESO Director General, Dr. Catherine Cesarsky, is "delighted that the UK has joined our organisation. When ESO was created nearly 40 years ago, the UK was planning for its own facilities and decided not to join. However, the impressive scientific and technological advances since then, coupled with ESO's emergence as a prime player on the European research scene have convinced our UK colleagues of the great advantages of presenting a united European face in astronomy through ESO".
Ian Halliday added," Membership of ESO will ensure that UK astronomy remains at the cutting edge of scientific research and discovery, whilst playing an integral role in developing the next generation of ground based facilities. This strategy also endorses the recommendations of the 'International Perceptions of UK Research in Physics and Astronomy', an independent review which recommended joining ESO".
Notes 1. Both PPARC and ESO issue co-ordinated releases regarding UK accession to The European Southern Observatory today. The ESO release can be accessed at: http://www:eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2002/pr-12-02.html
For further information contact:
Peter Barratt [Head of Communications]
Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
Tel: +44 [0] 1793 442025
Mobile: +44 [0] 7879 602899
Email: peter.barratt@pparc.ac.uk
Gill Ormrod [Press Officer]
PPARC
Tel: +44 [0] 1793 442012
Mobile: +44 (0)781 8013509
Email: gill.ormrod@pparc.ac.uk
Richard West [EPR Dept]
European Southern Observatory
Garching, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6276
Email: rwest@eso.org
Images, captions and web addresses
The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council: www.pparc.ac.uk
The European Southern Observatory [ESO]: www.eso.org
1. ESO Very Large Telescope [VLT] at Paranal, Chile: www.eso.org/paranal
2. The Atacama Large Millimetre Array [ALMA]: www.eso.org/projects/alma
3. The Overwhelmingly Large Telescope [OWL]: www.eso.org/projects/owl
4. A wide selection of astronomical images achieved with the VLT [including galaxies, stars and clusters, etc] can be accessed at: www.eso.org/outreach/gallery/astro
5. VLT Images the Horsehead Nebula: http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2002/phot-02-02.html
Earlier this year the VLT attained a new, high-resolution colour image of the most photographed celestial object, the famous Horsehead Nebula in Orion. The particular camera used, FORS2, a multi-mode instrument with a comparatively wide field-of-view, is optimally suited to show this extended object and its immediate surroundings in impressive detail.
Further images of the ESO facilities are available from www.eso.org/outreach/gallery
Video News Release
A video news release has been issued to all TV channels. This includes interviews with Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees and Sir Patrick Moore plus amazing footage of the ESO Telescope facilities.
Extra copies of this video are available from the PPARC Press Office. Telephone Gill Ormrod on 01793 442012.
Background notes
1. PPARC Astronomy - science objectives for the next two decades
The UK astronomy community reviewed the science priorities for the next 10-15 years in the Long Term Science Review and identified the following new ground based facilities required to address these priorities as:
• Increased access to 8-metre class telescopes
• Access to the Atacama Large Millimetre Array [ALMA]
• An involvement in the future development of extremely large optical/infrared and radio telescopes
2. 'International Perceptions of UK Research in Physics and Astronomy' [published June 2000]
An independent and international commentary on core fields of the UK's science and engineering base specifically reporting on the standing, balance and potential of physics research in the UK as compared with international research programmes.
The report can be accessed at: http://physics.iop.org/Policy/Intrev.html
3. Membership Funding
The UK government allocated an extra £10M per year [in the 2000 Spending Review] over the next ten years to facilitate joining ESO, to which PPARC would make an additional contribution of £5M plus 'in-kind' contributions.
The UK 'in kind' contributions to ESO comprise:
• The 4-metre VISTA [Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope] to be installed on the ESO Paranal Observatory.
• Access to the survey data of the Wide Field Camera [WFCAM] of the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope [UKIRT] on Hawaii.
• The UK shall contribute an e-Science programme to be fully defined at a later date but which will include the Data Flow System from VISTA.
VISTA - Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy
A world-leading "survey" telescope capable of rapidly mapping huge areas of the sky to great depth, which is being built using a grant awarded to an 18 strong university consortium led by Queen Mary, University of London. The 4-metre wide field telescope will initially be equipped with the world's largest infrared camera, which later may be augmented with an optical camera, to produce "atlases" of the sky. Vista will provide not only direct information from the surveys but also an advanced source of reference from which specific astronomical objects can be chosen for in-depth studies, for example with instruments on ESO's four 8-m Very Large Telescopes.
The VISTA consortium consists of: Queen Mary University of London, Queen's University of Belfast, The University of Birmingham, University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, University of Central Lancashire, University of Durham, The University of Edinburgh, University of Hertfordshire, Keele University, Leicester University, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, University of St Andrews, University of Southampton, University of Sussex, University College London.
The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) is the UK's strategic science investment agency. It funds research, education and public understanding in four broad areas of science - particle physics, astronomy, cosmology and space science.
PPARC is government funded and provides research grants and studentships to scientists in British universities, gives researchers access to world-class facilities and funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, CERN, and the European Space Agency. It also contributes money for the UK telescopes overseas on La Palma, Hawaii, Australia and in Chile, the UK Astronomy Technology Centre at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh and the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility.
PPARC's Public Understanding of Science and Technology Awards Scheme provides funding to both small local projects and national initiatives aimed at improving public understanding of its areas of science.