Observing the sky is one of the most accessible—and at the same time, one of the most profound—scientific experiences available. Unlike many other disciplines, astronomy allows you to begin without any instruments: all you need to do is look up. However, in a context where telescopes are often seen as the starting point, it is…
The Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) welcomed the first-place winners of the XIII School Astronomy Congress, who took part in a two-day, one-night immersive experience at its facilities in the Atacama Region. The congress was held on November 21, 2025, at the University of Concepción, organized by the Millennium Nucleus TITANS and the Department of Astronomy…
A record-setting pristine star provides a window into the dawn of stars and galaxies in the universe. This groundbreaking find connects the work of two telescopes at Carnegie Science’s Las Campanas Observatory—the du Pont, where spectra for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-V are taken, and the state-of-the-art Magellan Clay. An unusual team of astronomers used…
The Swope telescope at Carnegie Science’s Las Campanas Observatory in Chile—one of the world’s leading centers for astronomical observation—has witnessed significant scientific and technological advances since it saw first light in 1971. But it has also been the setting for human stories that accompany that evolution, including many career highlights for the observatory’s Resident Astronomer…
The development of MACO enables real-time optimization of the Magellan telescopes’ performance, strengthening scientific operations from Chile. Carnegie Science Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) has taken a key step in modernizing its operations with the implementation of MACO (Magellan Active Optics), a new active optics system designed to improve the quality of observations with the Magellan…
With a large turnout and a diverse scientific program, the city of Vallenar hosted the first edition of the Astronomy Festival 2026, a public event that brought together families, students, and astronomy enthusiasts to explore and learn about the Universe. The event was organized by Las Campanas Observatory (LCO), the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMTO), and…
A team of astronomers, including Carnegie Science’s Jeff Rich and other former Carnegie Observatories astronomers, have for the first time traced the history of a galaxy outside our own Milky way by studying chemical fingerprints in deep space, a new approach they are calling “extragalactic archeology.” Their findings are published in Nature Astronomy. “This is…
The Henrietta Infrared Spectrograph will study alien atmospheres in unprecedented detail, transforming how we understand worlds beyond our Solar System. For centuries, people have looked at the night sky and wondered what worlds might orbit other stars. In the past few decades, that question has shifted from imagination to discovery. Thousands of planets have now…
Astronomer Michael R. Blanton will join Carnegie Observatories as its 12th director, leading both astronomical research in Pasadena and telescope operations at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, recognized worldwide as one of the most exceptional observation sites on the planet. Blanton comes from New York University (NYU), where he is Professor of Physics and Director…
On November 21, groups of high school students from different regions of the country gathered at the University of Concepción to participate in the 13th School Astronomy Congress, organized by the Millennium Nucleus Titans and the UdeC Astronomy Department. In this new edition, Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) once again played a leading role as part…
