Planned development threatens view of Paranal Observatory With its clear, dark skies, northern Chile is home to two fifths of the world's astronomical infrastructure, ...

The Paranal Observatory is situated on Cerro Paranal, 8,645 feet above sea level, and is home to the famous Very Large Telescope (VLT), among other instruments.

JOHN BARTLETT, BYLINE: When night falls over the Paranal Observatory, which operates one of the world's most powerful telescopes, the skies above are dusted with brilliant constellations and nebulae.

With its clear, dark skies, northern Chile is home to two fifths of the world's astronomical infrastructure, but could that be under threat with increasing urbanisation and mining development?

With its clear, dark skies, northern Chile is home to two fifths of the world's astronomical infrastructure, but could that be under threat with increasing urbanisation and mining development?