EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSERVATORY (ESO)

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) was founded by several european countries wishing to have telescopes in the southern hemisphere. The site of La Silla, at 2450 meters above the sea level, near La Serena in Chile, was chosen.  

The 3m60-telescope started observing in 1976. because of the quality of the sky, many small telescopes were put on the La Silla site.