Open House Day: Behind the Scenes at ESO on 3 October 2024

On Thursday 3 October 2024, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) will open its doors during the Open House Day of the Garching Research Campus in the north of Munich, Germany. This will be an exciting opportunity to visit ESO and other renowned research institutes for a behind the scenes experience, all for free. The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre will also offer planetarium shows and other activities.

From 10:00 to 17:00 CEST, the ESO headquarters in Garching bei München will open its doors to everyone who is curious about space and astronomy. Discover the science and technology behind ESO’s state-of-the-art telescopes, meet the people working on and with them, and find out how instruments are prototyped and tested. ESO astronomers and engineers are at the premises all day to answer your questions. ESO will even provide a live connection to Chile, where the organisation’s telescopes are hosted. In short: a perfect Science Day Out!

Share your impressions of the visit online using the event’s hashtag #TagDerOffenenTür and by tagging us @esoastronomy on Facebook and Instagram, or @eso on X.

Activities overview

• Behind the scenes at ESO – Take a guided tour of the innovatively designed headquarters (pre-registration required*) and see how prototype instruments for ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope are made.
• Virtual and 3D tours – Make a virtual trip to ESO’s stunning sites in Chile to discover our  telescopes and instruments.
• Talks, podcasts and videos –  Listen, watch and learn about ESO’s telescopes and the research they enable.
• Planetarium shows – Experience a planetarium show in the ESO Supernova exhibition (pre-registration required*).
• Guided tours of the ESO Supernova exhibition (pre-registration required*)
• Kids activities – Get your infrared picture taken, build a mini-telescope out of Lego or have a galaxy painted on your cheek. Visit all stations to collect stamps and get a present!
• Looking for future co-workers – Calling all youngsters for a hands-on tour, with workshops and experiments.
• Solar observation – Observe the Sun with a special filter on a telescope (weather permitting).
• Comet factory – Join a spectacular comet-making demonstration. 
• Live connection to Paranal and ALMA – A direct connection to ESO’s telescopes in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Check out ESO’s Very Large Telescope at Paranal and ALMA, the largest operating astronomical project, consisting of 66 antennas located 5000 metres above sea.
• Chill videos – Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation with impressive images of our sites in Chile and a chill-out soundtrack to match.

Download the full programme in English or German (PDF).

(*) For planetarium shows and guided tours you need to get your ticket 45 minutes before the activity starts. For tours of the ESO headquarters, get your ticket at the main ESO reception. For tours of the ESO Supernova exhibition, get your ticket at the ESO Supernova reception. You can also pre-book planetarium shows online (from 25 September at 12:00 until 2 October). A limited number of tickets are available.

Practical information

• All activities are free of charge.
• ESO has a cafeteria where food and light refreshments will be available in exchange for a donation to the ESO Charity Group.
• Media representatives who wish to attend the event are kindly asked to confirm their participation by contacting press@eso.org.

Notes

During this event, photographs and video recordings will be made. These may contain non-directly identifiable people (e.g. group shots). If you are clearly identifiable, we will obtain your written consent. Read more on the use of this material and your rights in our Privacy Notice (PDF).

Courtesy of European Southern Observatory