CERRO TOLOLO INTER-AMERICAN OBSERVATORY
Between 2010 and 2016 I was part of a team with observing runs on the telescopes at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile. We were given time on the telescopes to observe Jupiter Trojan asteroids. Most of the observing runs were for ten nights using a 0.9-meter telescope, but three times we were allocated five additional nights on the 4-m Blanco Telescope. The last two 4-m runs were using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam). YouTube video from the 2016 observing run.
The domes of the 4-meter Blanco Telescope and 1.5-meter Telescope at sunset.
Sometimes in June it snows at CTIO shutting down operations for a couple of days.
Andean condor are a sight to see, but their presence indicates that the skies are turbulent and not great for astronomical imaging.
Chilean foxes live on the mountain.
The dormitory and dining room.
At the observatory crossroads. CTIO to the left, and Gemini South to the right.
Most of our nights were using the 0.9-meter telescope. Built in the 1960s, it is still one of the best tracking telescopes.
The dome of the 0.9-meter telescope with the weather station to the right.
The 0.9-meter dome at night.
Beautiful clouds
At the 4-meter Blanco Telescope
The 4-meter Blanco telescope with the DECam at the top.
On the catwalk of the 4-meter dome.
The domes of the 0.9-meter and two 1-meter telescopes at sunset.
This is what astronomers really do at night.
Standing amongst the domes at night.
When it's cloudy - you take selfies.
The Green Flash as the Sun sets over the Pacific Ocean.
The 4-meter and 1.5-meter domes with the Southern Milky Way between them. Scorpio is pointing towards Venus as the Zodiacal Light (dust in plane of solar system) reaches up towards Venus.
Venus in between the small domes at CTIO
The weather station in between the small domes at CTIO.