publication date 2022/08/09
Lifetime of ESO telescopes and their diameters, compiled from the ESO website
File for generating the figure above in CSV format.
Annotated table of ESO observing periods, availbale also in PDF
| year | S | period | note | year | S | period | note | year | S | period | note | year | S | period | note |
| 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | A | 5 | 1980 | A | 25 | ||||||||
| 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | B | 6 | 1980 | B | 26 | ||||||||
| 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | A | 7 | 1981 | A | 27 | ||||||||
| 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | B | 8 | 1m Schmidt | 1981 | B | 28 | |||||||
| 1952 | 1962 | ESO founded | 1972 | A | 9 | 1982 | A | 29 | |||||||
| 1952 | 1962 | site testing in Chile | 1972 | B | 10 | 1982 | B | 30 | |||||||
| 1953 | 1963 | Chile selected as site | 1973 | A | 11 | 1983 | A | 31 | |||||||
| 1953 | 1963 | ESO Chile Agreement | 1973 | B | 12 | 1983 | B | 32 | |||||||
| 1954 | declaration for a European joint obs. in south em. | 1964 | 1974 | A | 13 | 1984 | A | 33 | 2p2 | ||||||
| 1954 | 1964 | 1974 | B | 14 | 1984 | B | 34 | ||||||||
| 1955 | 1965 | La Silla construction start | 1975 | A | 15 | 1985 | A | 35 | |||||||
| 1955 | site testing in South Africa | 1965 | 1975 | B | 16 | 1985 | B | 36 | |||||||
| 1956 | 1966 | 1976 | A | 17 | 3p6 | 1986 | A | 37 | |||||||
| 1956 | 1966 | 1m ESO | 1976 | B | 18 | 1986 | B | 38 | |||||||
| 1957 | 1967 | 1977 | A | 19 | 1987 | A | 39 | ||||||||
| 1957 | 1967 | 1977 | B | 20 | 1987 | B | 40 | ||||||||
| 1958 | 1968 | A | 1 | 1p5 ESO | 1978 | A | 21 | 1988 | A | 41 | |||||
| 1958 | 1968 | B | 2 | 1978 | B | 22 | 1988 | B | 42 | ||||||
| 1959 | 1969 | A | 3 | 1979 | A | 23 | 1989 | A | 43 | NTT | |||||
| 1959 | 1969 | B | 4 | 1979 | B | 24 | 1p5 Danish | 1989 | B | 44 | |||||
| year | S | period | note | year | S | period | note | year | S | period | note | year | S | period | note |
| 1990 | A | 45 | 2000 | A | 65 | 2010 | A | 85 | 2020 | A | 105 | ||||
| 1990 | B | 46 | 2000 | B | 66 | 2010 | B | 86 | 2020 | B | 106 | ||||
| 1991 | A | 47 | 2001 | A | 67 | 2011 | A | 87 | VST | 2021 | A | 107 | |||
| 1991 | B | 48 | 2001 | B | 68 | VLTI | 2011 | B | 88 | ALMA | 2021 | B | 108 | ||
| 1992 | A | 49 | 2002 | A | 69 | 2012 | A | 89 | 2022 | A | 109 | ||||
| 1992 | B | 50 | 2002 | B | 70 | 2012 | B | 90 | 2022 | B | 110 | ||||
| 1993 | A | 51 | WEB avaible | 2003 | A | 71 | HARPS | 2013 | A | 91 | 2023 | A | 111 | ||
| 1993 | B | 52 | 2003 | B | 72 | 2013 | B | 92 | 2023 | B | 112 | ||||
| 1994 | A | 53 | 2004 | A | 73 | 2014 | A | 93 | 2024 | A | 113 | ||||
| 1994 | B | 54 | 2004 | B | 74 | 2014 | B | 94 | 2024 | B | 114 | ||||
| 1995 | A | 55 | 1st website ESO Archive | 2005 | A | 75 | Data products mandatory to be sent in Archive for Large Programs |
2015 | A | 95 | Phase 3 data mandatory to be sent in Archive for Large Programs | 2025 | A | 115 | |
| 1995 | B | 56 | 2005 | B | 76 | APEX | 2015 | B | 96 | 2025 | B | 116 | |||
| 1996 | A | 57 | 2006 | A | 77 | 2016 | A | 97 | 2026 | A | 117 | ||||
| 1996 | B | 58 | 2006 | B | 78 | 2016 | B | 98 | 2026 | B | 118 | ||||
| 1997 | A | 59 | 2007 | A | 79 | 2017 | A | 99 | 2027 | A | 119 | planned ELT 1st light | |||
| 1997 | B | 60 | 2007 | B | 80 | 2017 | B | 100 | ELT construction start | 2027 | B | 120 | |||
| 1998 | A | 61 | VLT 1st light | 2008 | A | 81 | 2018 | A | 101 | 2028 | A | 121 | |||
| 1998 | B | 62 | 2008 | B | 82 | 2018 | B | 102 | 2028 | B | 122 | ||||
| 1999 | A | 63 | 2009 | A | 83 | 2019 | A | 103 | 2029 | A | 123 | ||||
| 1999 | B | 64 | 2009 | B | 84 | VISTA | 2019 | B | 104 | 2029 | B | 124 | |||
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