Gemini South Observatory Captures Milky Way in Sustainable Astronomy Panorama

A photographer’s patience revealed the Milky Way’s brilliance above a telescope designed to pierce the veil of Earth’s atmosphere.

The Gemini South Observatory, part of the International Gemini Observatory, operates from Cerro Pachón in Chile. Its 8.1-meter telescopes employ adaptive-optics-assisted infrared imaging to counteract atmospheric blurring, enabling spectroscopy and wide-field imaging of distant galaxies and star-forming regions.

Photographer Petr Horálek, serving as a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador, captured a panorama of the Milky Way above the telescope. The image highlights the observatory’s solar panel array, which contributes to energy efficiency by reducing emissions.

NOIRLab emphasizes that these panels support operational sustainability without attributing broader environmental claims.

The Gemini telescopes adaptive optics system uses deformable mirrors to correct atmospheric distortions in real time. Infrared imaging allows observation of celestial objects obscured by interstellar dust. These technologies, combined with the observatory’s high-altitude location, enhance the clarity of astronomical data.