The Paranal Observatory in Chile: A Hypnotizing View | ESO
“I couldn't believe I was photographing a circumpolar startrail in Paranal; without a doubt, one of the most incredible experiences I've had as a photographer,” says Osvaldo Castillo, the Chilean astrophotographer responsible for this stunning picture.
This circular motion of the stars is caused by the rotation of the Earth around its axis. The point at which Earth's rotation axis extends to in the sky is called a celestial pole, which in today's image is the center around which all these stars seem to move or trail—hence, the name circumpolar startrail.
Osvaldo was able to capture this hypnotizing motion at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. With the tip of one of the Auxiliary Telescopes almost perfectly aligning with the southern celestial pole, it seems as if the sky revolves around the telescope, making it the center of attention.
However, capturing these circular startrails is no easy task. Multiple images must be taken over several hours with a long exposure time—a slight misalignment can completely ruin the outcome, as the final trails are only visible when the individual images come together. And since the telescope moves as it points to different locations, different shots need to be taken for the foreground and background. Osvaldo explains that he took “almost 300 images and you can't see the result immediately. Fortunately, the calculation and orientation to the South were accurate." Lucky for us! We now get to enjoy this mesmerizing picture.
Image Description: An open white dome with part of a telescope peeking through its opening at the top. The sky in the background is full of countless concentric white-ish circles, centered at the top of the telescope.
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025
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