Nobel Laureate Reinhard Genzel Leads Global Astronomers’ Urgent Call to Protect Paranal’s Pristine Skies
Nearly 30 Leading Scientists Urge Chile to Relocate INNA Industrial Project Threatening World-Class Observatory
Nobel Laureate Reinhard Genzel and nearly 30 leading astronomers urge Chile's government to relocate the INNA industrial complex, which threatens ESO's Paranal Observatory with up to 35% increased light pollution and micro-vibrations. This endangers world-class research like MPE-led GRAVITY+, reliant on Paranal's pristine dark skies. The open letter calls for stronger protections while supporting green energy.
for all four telescopes of ESO‘s Very Large Telescope
Interferometer (VLTI) to compensate for the turbulence
of the Earth‘s atmosphere, allowing fainter objects to
be observed in greater detail than before.
MPE Director and Nobel Laureate Reinhard Genzel is spearheading an open letter signed by nearly 30 eminent international astronomers urging the Chilean government to relocate the proposed INNA industrial complex. The project threatens the world-renowned dark skies over ESO’s Paranal Observatory, the premier site for cutting-edge astronomical research.
The letter warns that the INNA complex could increase light pollution at Paranal by up to 35% and cause disruptive micro-vibrations that impair highly sensitive telescope operations. Such interference risks decades of vital research, including projects like GRAVITY+, led by MPE, which recently demonstrated the use of four laser guide stars to observe faint cosmic objects.
“Darkness is what makes me see clearer. It is the medium through which I can observe the universe’s most delicate details,” says Chilean astronomer Eduardo Unda-Sanzana, emphasizing the global importance of preserving these pristine skies.
While supporting the transition to green energy, the scientists stress that the INNA project’s scale and close proximity pose an unacceptable hazard. They respectfully call on President Gabriel Boric and key ministers to relocate the project and enhance protections for this unique scientific and natural heritage.
Read the full letter here: Open Letter to the Government of Chile
