Welcome, fellow enthusiasts and curious minds! We’re excited to have you with us today. Living in a vibrant world sometimes means forgetting about the serene wonder of a clear, starry sky. But we believe that, together, we can protect such awe-inspiring sights. By reading this article, you’ll learn about a controversial industrial megaproject near Chile’s Paranal Observatory, why its plan endangers some of Earth’s last pristine skies, and how each of us can help ensure the legacy of astronomy remains vibrant.

The dark skies above ESO’s Paranal Observatory, home to ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), yield breathtaking views so clear and so full of stars that you could almost touch them. Standing atop a platform at VLT, ESO Photo Ambassador Petr Horálek reaches towards a standout object in the sky. You may assume this bright body, like many others in the sky, to be a star, but it is in fact a planet in our Solar System: the gas giant Jupiter. Credit: ESO/P. Horálek

The Imminent Peril Facing Paranal Observatory

We’ve all seen majestic night-sky images brimming with gleaming stars and distant galaxies. The Paranal Observatory, operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), sits in Chile’s Atacama Desert—home to the clearest and darkest skies in the world. Today, though, these immaculate conditions stand on the brink of destruction. The culprit? A newly proposed industrial megaproject by AES Andes, a subsidiary of the U.S.-based AES Corporation. This massive complex, planned just 5 to 11 kilometers from the telescopes, includes a port, ammonia and hydrogen production plants, and thousands of electricity generation units. Picture a small city—equal in size to thousands of soccer fields—popping up next to an observatory that depends on darkness. That is a serious threat.

Who’s Behind This Megaproject?

AES Andes has named this project “Inna.” It aims to introduce next-level industrial output in the Atacama Desert’s coastal region—ammonia for fertilizers, hydrogen for transport, plus large-scale power generation. Although eco-friendly fuels seem appealing at a glance, the project’s proximity to Paranal Observatory could yield repercussions that reach far beyond typical light pollution.

Dark Skies: Why So Precious?

When you hear the phrase “dark skies,” you might think of crisp, brilliant stars overhead. But these uninterrupted skies are more than pretty scenery. They’re key to cosmic discovery. Astronomers at Paranal have gathered evidence on exoplanets, black holes, and the Universe’s expansion rate, and they even contributed to research that won a Nobel Prize in Physics for revealing the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. If industrial light brightens the horizon, dim extrasolar planets could disappear from view—gone behind a haze of artificial glow. For us, that translates to fewer cosmic mysteries unraveled and lost opportunities to comprehend our place in the Universe.

How Light Pollution Wreaks Havoc

Light pollution sounds harmless, like a harmless orange glow on the horizon. But that glow can ruin long-duration photographic studies, fill up sophisticated detectors with stray light, and complicate data analysis. Throw in dust emissions from large-scale construction and increased atmospheric turbulence, and you’ve got an astronomer’s nightmare [2]. These combined effects degrade the powerful Very Large Telescope’s work, hamper data collection for ongoing research, and risk wasting the multi-billion-Euro investments poured into Paranal and the future Extremely Large Telescope.

The beauty of the night sky is revealed above Cerro Paranal, home to the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The Small and Large Magellanic Clouds can be seen towards the horizon as meteors shoot across sky. All captured in this time-lapse during the ESO Ultra High Definition Expedition. Credit: ESO/B. Tafreshi

A Threat to Science and Humanity

Our group, FreeAstroScience.com, longs to share cosmic stories that ignite curiosity. Losing the clarity of the Atacama sky cuts off that storytelling. Why? Because it means fewer groundbreaking discoveries, along with a drop in educational and cultural experiences that feed our passion for science. Protecting a dark sky is about preserving history, nurturing future possibilities, and forging the kind of understanding that unites us as a global community—even if we’re physically far apart. Isn’t it ironic that an energy complex, often touted as progress, might turn off the lights on what nature offers in spades?

Relocation or Conservation?

We get it: industrial developments provide jobs and bring economic growth. None of us want to see local communities struggle. If the AES Andes megaproject found a different site—one less astronomically valuable—it could still produce energy, maybe even with minimal disruption to everyday life. But here, in the heart of the darkest desert on Earth, the inconvenience is more than local. Those 3000+ hectares of proposed industrial sprawl could disrupt a globally significant zone. The only real fix, experts say, is relocating the complex to a more suitable spot [1]. Some might say, “But can’t we dim the lights?” Even with advanced shielding and specialized designs, you can’t truly isolate every photon or eradicate heat turbulence. And that’s where the heartbreak lies.

Our Call to Action

We believe it falls on us, as science lovers, stargazers, and conscientious citizens, to speak out. Here’s how you can play a part:

Raise Awareness: Share articles, like this one, with your friends, your astronomy club, or your local community. The more the planet understands the value of dark skies, the more pressure we place on decision-makers.
Support Astronomical Advocacy: Organizations worldwide coordinate to safeguard natural darkness in designated reserves. Their campaigns, letters, and petitions matter. Add your voice.
Optimize Lighting: At home, use fixtures with controls that illuminate only downward. Adopt warmer tones. Every personal effort to reduce unnecessary lighting contributes to preserving the night sky.
Engage Politically: If local or national authorities can be persuaded to relocate large industries away from sensitive zones, that’s a major victory. It’s crucial to highlight the unique scientific heritage we guard in places like Paranal.

Conclusion

We hold a precious gem in the Atacama Desert—an unblemished sky that fosters awe, pushes science forward, and invites us to look up and wonder. If the Paranal Observatory’s view falls victim to an industrial megaproject, we lose far more than a star-filled horizon: we lose the potential to solve cosmic riddles that define our understanding of existence. It’s our job to speak loudly and act swiftly. As admirers of the cosmos, we stand for the Universe’s silent grandeur, ensuring it remains visible to everyone for generations to come.

Written by FreeAstroScience.com, where we simplify complex scientific principles for everyone. Together, let’s protect the night sky—before it fades into memory.

Citations:

[2] https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2501/

[3] https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/light-pollution-is-creeping-up-on-worlds-observatories/

[4] https://www.eso.org/public/

[5] https://gizmodo.com/industrial-complex-proposal-threatens-some-of-the-worlds-clearest-skies-for-astronomy-2000548070

[6] https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/article/how-to-dim-the-consequences-of-global-light-pollution/

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_megaprojects

[8] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7813237/

[9] https://www.astronomictourism.com/light-pollution.html

[10] https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20210012919/downloads/Earth%20and%20Space%20Conference%202021%20Mega%20Projects%20Mueller%20v2.pdf

[11] https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso2501b/

[12] https://www.eso.org/public/italy/about-eso/dark-skies-preservation/