An international team of astronomers, led by the University of Chicago, has identified a new metal-poor star in the halo of the Milky Way. The discovery was made possible with the help of data from the Gaia satellite and the 6.5-meter Magellan Clay telescope, installed at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, whose resolving power…
Graced with clear, dark skies and an exceedingly arid climate, Chile’s Atacama Desert boasts astronomical “seeing” that is the best in the world. It has become a mecca for stargazers with more than 20 observatories dotting its austere landscape. Over 50 years ago, Carnegie astronomers chose to build an observatory in the Atacama—the institution’s Las…
July 3, 2025 — In a day marked by dialogue and collaboration, the Governor of the Coquimbo Region, Cristóbal Juliá, together with representatives of the Regional Council, visited the facilities of Las Campanas Observatory and the site where the future Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) is under construction, located at Cerro Las Campanas on the border…
Faced with the growing risk that light pollution represents for the development of astronomy in Chile, the main international observatories with a presence in the country have formed a joint organization dedicated to protecting the dark skies of northern Chile. The council will act through the Chilean Skies Foundation and the Office for the Protection…
For the third consecutive year, the Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) was part of the Heritage Day activities, organized in Cerro Calán (Las Condes, Metropolitan Region) by the Astronomy Department of the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Chile. The event, held on May 25, was attended by about 8,500 people. On…
The observatory presented the stand “Astronomy with all the senses”, an innovative educational proposal that brought science closer to the public through touch and interactive experience. The Las Campanas Observatory was once again part of the Science Walk, the central activity of the Antofagasta 2025 Port of Ideas Festival, presented by Escondida | BHP. In…
From the most distant galaxies to the formation of the first black holes, Chilean astronomer Leopoldo Infante has dedicated his career to deciphering the mysteries of the cosmos. Currently director of the Las Campanas Observatory (LCO), his research has marked milestones in world astronomy, always with one foot in Chile and an eye on the…
As part of the celebrations for Astronomy Day in Chile, celebrated in the country on the Friday closest to the autumn equinox in the southern hemisphere, the Las Campanas Observatory, LCO, carried out a series of activities designed to inspire future generations and promote inclusive access to science. The celebrations began with a visit to…
At the Las Campanas Observatory of the Carnegie Science Institution, we share the national and international astronomical community’s concern about the development of the INNA Project. The project contemplates the construction of a center for the production of liquid green hydrogen and green ammonia in Taltal, in the Antofagasta Region, a few kilometers from the…
Recognition highlights his scientific career, his contribution to world astronomy and his link with Chile. The distinguished North American astronomer Mark Phillips, director emeritus of the Las Campanas Observatory, was named Honorary Foreign Member of the Chilean Academy of Sciences in a ceremony held on Wednesday, March 26. The distinction recognizes his exceptional scientific career,…
