Free_Astronomy_-_SeptemberOctober_2019

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SPACE CHRONICLES

the Chilean Ministry of Education. The students

had to write a letter where they explained their

interest in science and, particularly, in astronomy.

The winners, each together with a parent, were

rewarded with a fully paid trip to La Silla.

International and local media were also invited

and about 60 representatives responded to the

call. In addition, ESO webcast the eclipse online.

Eight social media users were selected from 300

participants from ESON countries to participate

in the #MeetESO second edition, a social media

gathering taking the winners to all of ESO’s

sites. They are sharing their experience with the

world on Twitter and Instagram, as well as on

their own channels. A public competition dedi-

cated to La Silla Observatory’s 50 thanniversary,

#LaSilla 50 Years, also saw one person from ESO’s

O

n 2 July 2019 a total solar eclipse passed over

ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. The

eclipse lasted roughly two and a half hours, with

almost two minutes of totality at 20 : 39 UT, and

was visible across a narrow band of Chile and Ar-

gentina. To celebrate this rare event ESO invited

1000 people, including dignitaries, school children,

the media, researchers, and the general public,

to come to the Observatory to watch the eclipse

from this unique location. [ESO/R. Lucchesi]

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