EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSERVATORY (ESO)

This pan video takes a close look at the spiral galaxy NGC 3981 in the constellation of Crater (The Cup). This object was captured by FORS2 — an instrument mounted on ESO’s Very Large Telescope — as part of the ESO Cosmic Gems Programme, which showcases the beauty of the southern skies when conditions don’t allow scientific observations to be made. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1830c/ Credit: ESO, James Creasey

This zoom video starts with a wide view of the Milky Way and ends with a close-up look at the spiral galaxy NGC 3981 in the constellation of Crater (The Cup). The final view of this region was captured by FORS2, an instrument mounted on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, as part of the ESO Cosmic Gems Programme. This programme showcases the beauty of the southern skies when conditions don’t allow scientific observations to be made. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1830b/ Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2/N. Risinger (skysurvey.org). Music: Astral Electronic.

FORS2, an instrument mounted on ESO’s Very Large Telescope captured the spiral galaxy NGC 3981 in all its glory. The image, captured during the ESO Cosmic Gems Programme, showcases the beauty of the southern skies when conditions don’t allow scientific observations to be made. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1830a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Stephen Molyneux and Calum Turner. Music: John Stanford (johnstanfordmusic.com). Footage and photos: ESO, Liam Young, Digitized Sky Survey 2, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org). Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

Construction is underway at Cerro Armazones -- the future home of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). When construction is done the ELT will be the largest optical telescope​ ever built -- a dome the size of a cathedral. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. Credits and download options on: https://www.eso.org/public/videos/esocast176a/

The Sun has shone on our world for four and a half billion years. The light that warms our skin today has been felt by every person who has ever lived. It is our nearest star and our planet’s powerhouse, the source of the energy that drives our winds, our weather and all life. The passage of the Sun’s fiery disc across the sky — day by day, month by month — was the only way to keep track of time for countless past civilisations. Don’t be fooled by the terminology; although it is a typical dwarf star, the Sun consumes 600 million tons of hydrogen each second and is 500 times as massive as all the planets combined. Discover the secrets of our star in this planetarium show and experience never-before-seen images of the Sun’s violent surface in immersive fulldome format. Our team has worked with some of the most talented planetarium producers to bring you this visually striking planetarium show about the most important star in our lives. ### Links * Flat trailer * Fulldome trailer * Watch it on the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre * Poster More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/The-Sun-show/ Credit: Film Director: Theofanis Matsopoulos Music & Sound Effects: Konstantino Polizois 3D Animation and Graphics: Theofanis Matsopoulos, Luis Calçada & Martin Kornmesser Producer: Theofanis Matsopoulos & the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Executive Producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen Script and Scientific Advice: Lars Lindberg Christensen, Ryan Wyatt, Nicolas Matsopoulos, Adam Hadhazy, Rebecca Davies, Carl Mundy & Paola Amico Narration: Sara Mendes Da Costa Audio mastering: George Deligiannis   Japanese Version Translation: Osamu Kato Production: Altair LLC Narration: Namika Matsubara Recording: TAKE'S co.,ltd. Cooperation: TAJIMA Hideki Office Ltd.@ Supervision: Manabu Shinohara (Professor / National Institute of Technology, Kagoshima College)

The VISTA telescope has allowed us to peer through the hot gas and dark dust shrouding the spectacular Carina nebula to show us myriad stars, both newborn and in their death throes. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1828a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO. Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Ivana Kurecic and Calum Turner. Music: tonelabs. Footage and photos: ESO, G. Hüdepohl (atacamaphoto.com), DSS, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org), M. Kornmesser. Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen

The peerless surveying properties of the VST uncover exquisite details of the elliptical galaxy NGC 5018 and the delicate streams of gas and stars that surround it. Discover more in this episode of ESOcast Light. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1827a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Nico Bartmann.  Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Stephen Molyneux and Mariya Lyubenova. Music: written and performed by Stan Dart (www.stan-dart.com). Footage and photos: ESO, Spavone et al, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org), David Malin. Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This pan video takes a closer look of the elliptical galaxy NGC 5018 and the tender streams of stars and gas left over from dramatic galactic collisions in the past. The extremely sensitive detectors of the VST have captured a myriad of stars, galaxies, and even a few errant asteroids crossing this area of the sky during the long exposures need to obtain the image. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1827c/ Credit: ESO, Spavone et al. Music: James Creasey

This zoom video starts with a wide view of the Milky Way and ends with a close-up look at the elliptical galaxy NGC 5018 its surroundings in the constellation of Virgo. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1827b/ Credit: ESO/Spavone et al., DSS, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org). Music: Mylonite MRP - Mylonite Recordz.

This video compilation contains interviews and other materials related to the press conference held at ESO on 26 July 2018 to mark the first successful test of Einstein's general relativity around the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. The material has been edited especially for broadcast use, without commentary or music. Credit: ESO More information and download options: https://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825o/

This simulation shows the orbits of a tight group of stars close to the supermassive blackhole at the heart of the Milky Way. During 2018 one of these stars, S2, passed very close to the black hole and was the subject of intense scrutiny with ESO telescope. Its behaviour matched the predictions of Einsteins's general relativity and was inconsistent with simpler Newtonian gravity. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825f/ Credit: ESO/L. Calçada/spaceengine.org

This artist's impression fulldome video shows a hypothetical super-luminous flight from the Earth to the Black Hole in the centre of the Milky Way. At the end of the clip, the orbits of stars close to the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way are seen. The data for these orbits have been measured over 26 years by ESO's telescopes by an international team led by Reinhard Genzel of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) in Garching, Germany, in conjunction with collaborators around the world. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825n/ Credit: ESO/L. Calçada/SpaceEngine

This zoom video sequence starts with a broad view of the Milky Way. We then dive into the dusty central region to take a much closer look. There lurks a 4-million solar mass black hole, surrounded by a swarm of stars orbiting rapidly. We first see the stars in motion, thanks to 26 years of data from ESO's telescopes. We then see an even closer view of one of the stars, known as S2, passing very close to the black hole in May 2018. The final part shows a simulation of the motions of the stars. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825c/ Credit: ESO/GRAVITY Collaboration

This time-lapse view shows images from the GRAVITY instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope as it tracks the progress of the star S2 as it made a close passage past the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way in May 2018. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825d/ Credit: ESO/GRAVITY Collaboration

This time-lapse video from the NACO instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile shows stars orbiting the supermassive black hole that lies at the heart of the Milky Way over a period of nearly 20 years. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825e/ Credit: ESO/MPE

This animation shows the orbit of the star S2 around the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. At its closest approach, which occurred most recently in May 2018, the star is traveling at nearly 3% of the speed of light and is an ideal test object for studying very strong gravitational fields and testing Einstein's general theory of relativity. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825g/ Credit: ESO/L. Calçada/spaceengine.org

This artist’s impression video shows the path of the star S2 as it passes very close to the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. As it gets close to the black hole the very strong gravitational field causes the colour of the star to shift slightly to the red, an effect of Einstein’s general thery of relativity. In this graphic the colour effect, speed and size of the objects have been exaggerated for clarity. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825b/ Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser

Observations made with ESO’s Very Large Telescope have for the first time revealed the effects predicted by Einstein’s general relativity on the motion of a star passing through the extreme gravitational field near the supermassive black hole in the centre of the Milky Way. This long-sought result represents the climax of a 26-year-long observation campaign using ESO’s telescopes in Chile. Credit: ESO Directed by: Calum Turner and Herbert Zodet. Editing: Herbert Zodet. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Calum Turner and Richard Hook. Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa. Music: STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com) and Johan B. Monell (www.johanmonell.com). Footage and photos: ESO, MPE, M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada, spaceengine.org, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org), Digitized Sky Survey 2, GRAVITY Collaboration, C. Malin (christophmalin.com), Liam Young/Unknown Fields, Gianluca Lombardi (glphoto.it), B. Tafreshi (twanight.org), Naumann Film GmbH (naumann-film.de), H. Zodet and John Colosimo (colosimophotography.com). Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen. More information and download options are available on: https://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1825a/

This sequence starts with a wide view of the Milky Way and zooms in on the globular star cluster NGC 6388 in the constellation of Scorpius (The Scorpion). The final images are first from MUSE on ESO's Very Large Telescope in Wide Field Mode and then the last, very sharp, image shows part of the cluster using the MUSE Narrow Field Mode with adaptive optics turned on. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1824b/ Credit: ESO/S. Kammann (LJMU)/ N. Risinger (skysurvey.org). Music: Astral Electronic

ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) has achieved first light with a new adaptive optics mode called laser tomography — and has captured remarkably sharp test images of the planet Neptune, star clusters and other objects. The pioneering MUSE instrument in Narrow-Field Mode, working with the GALACSI adaptive optics module, can now use this new technique to correct for turbulence at different altitudes in the atmosphere. It is now possible to capture images from the ground at visible wavelengths that are sharper than those from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The combination of exquisite image sharpness and the spectroscopic capabilities of MUSE will enable astronomers to study the properties of astronomical objects in much greater detail than was possible before. This ESOcast gives a taste of these remarkable results. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1824a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Stephen Molyneux and Richard Hook. Music: tonelabs (http://www.tonelabs.com). Footage and photos: ESO, R. Bacon, P. Weilbacher (AIP), C. Malin (christophmalin.com), L. Calçada and MUSE consortium. Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This pan video takes a close look at the dramatic star formation region RCW 38 in the constellation of Vela (The Sails). The view of this region was captured during testing of the HAWK-I camera with the GRAAL adaptive optics system, which is installed on ESO's Very large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1823c/ Credit: ESO. Music: Astral Electronic

This zoom video starts with a wide view of the Milky Way and ends with a close-up look at the dramatic star formation region RCW 38 in the constellation of Vela (The Sails). The final view of this region was captured during testing of the HAWK-I camera with the GRAAL adaptive optics system, which is installed on ESO's Very large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1823b/ Credit: ESO, DSS, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org). Music: Astral Electronic

New observations with ESO’s Very Large Telescope have revealed the star cluster RCW 38 in all its glory. These observations was taken during testing of the HAWK-I camera with the GRAAL adaptive optics system. It shows the cluster and its surrounding clouds of brightly glowing gas in exquisite detail, with dark tendrils of dust threading through the bright core of this young gathering of stars. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1823a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Calum Turner and Richard Hook Music: tonelabs (http://www.tonelabs.com). Footage and photos: ESO, F. Kamphues, DSS and N. Risinger (skysurvey.org). Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This is the Spanish version of the ESOcast 170 — All you need to know about total solar eclipse 2019. The English version is available here (https://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1822a/). More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1822b/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Petr Horálek. Editing: Petr Horálek. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Petr Horálek, Izumi Hansen and Nicole Shearer. Music: Tim Turusov, STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com), MoveTwo. Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa. Footage and photos: ESO, P. Horálek, L. Calçada, T. Matsopoulos, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org), M. Druckmüller, S. Habbal, P. Aniol, M. Dietzel, J. Sládeček, V. Rušin, R. Royer, C. Emmanouilidis, K. Molnár, K. Delcourte, D. Sabers, Petr and Pavel Štarha, The Solar Wind Sherpas (project.ifa.hawaii.edu/solarwindsherpas), A. Gustafsson, SOHO (ESA/NASA), ISS/NASA, F. Espenak (NASA/GSFC), X. Jubier (xjubier.free.fr), M. Zeiler, J. Pasachoff, L. Young/Unknown Fields (www.unknownfieldsdivision.com), A. Möller (www.solar-eclipse.info). Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

Spanish version is available here (https://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1822b/): ESOcast 170: Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre el eclipse solar total de 2019. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1822a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Petr Horálek. Editing: Petr Horálek. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Petr Horálek, Izumi Hansen and Nicole Shearer. Music: Tim Turusov, STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com), MoveTwo. Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa. Footage and photos: ESO, P. Horálek, L. Calçada, T. Matsopoulos, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org), M. Druckmüller, S. Habbal, P. Aniol, M. Dietzel, J. Sládeček, V. Rušin, R. Royer, C. Emmanouilidis, K. Molnár, K. Delcourte, D. Sabers, Petr and Pavel Štarha, The Solar Wind Sherpas (project.ifa.hawaii.edu/solarwindsherpas), A. Gustafsson, SOHO (ESA/NASA), ISS/NASA, F. Espenak (NASA/GSFC), X. Jubier (xjubier.free.fr), M. Zeiler, J. Pasachoff, L. Young/Unknown Fields (www.unknownfieldsdivision.com), A. Möller (www.solar-eclipse.info). Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This animation shows the Moon passing between the Earth and Sun on a typical orbital cycle. The inclined orbit of the Moon means that a solar eclipse, let alone a total solar eclipse, does not happen every month. When a solar eclipse does occur, the Moon blocks the Sun from the point-of-view of the Earth and casts its shadow on the surface of the Earth below. On 2 July 2019, a total solar eclipse will take place over South America. ESO's La Silla Observatory is situated within the path of totality.. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1822d/ Credit: ESO/L. Calçada, Space Engine.

This video is an artist's impression of the total solar eclipse at ESO's La Silla Observatory on 2 July 2019. During this eclipse, the Sun will be low in the sky, so the shadow will form a u-shape in the sky. ESO will open the doors of the La Silla Observatory for this very rare event. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1822f/ Credit: ESO/L. Calçada, P. Horálek, M. Druckmüller, P. Aniol.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is exactly between the Earth and the Sun. Because the Sun is 400 times bigger than the Moon, and also 400 times further away, the Moon perfectly blocks the main body of the Sun, allowing us to see the solar atmosphere, including wispy prominences. A total solar eclipse will take place over ESO's La Silla Observatory in July 2019! More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1822c/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO/L. Calçada, Space Engine.

This sequence takes the viewer towards the southern constellation of Centaurus. We zoom in on the orange dwarf star PDS 70. The final shot shows the spectacular new image of the planet PDS 70b cleaving a path through the planet-forming material surrounding the young star. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1821b/ Credit: ESO, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org), DSS. Music: Astral electronic.

Astronomers using the SPHERE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope captured the first clear image of a planet caught in the act of forming in the dusty disc surrounding a young star. The young planet is carving a path through the primordial disc of gas and dust around the very young star PDS 70. The data suggest that the planet’s atmosphere is cloudy. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1821a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Calum Turner and Mariya Lyubenova. Music: Tim Turusov (www.turusov.com). Footage and photos: ESO, UHD Team, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org), DSS, L. Calçada, spaceengine.org and M. Kornmesser. Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This animation shows the path of the interstellar asteroid 1I/2017 (`Oumuamua) through the Solar System. Observations with ESO's Very Large Telescope and others have shown that this unique object is dark, reddish in colour and highly elongated. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1737b/ Credit: ESO, M. Kornmesser, L.Calcada. Music: Mylonite - MRP (Mylonite Recordz Production)

This animation (annotated) shows the path of the interstellar asteroid 1I/2017 (`Oumuamua) through the Solar System. Observations with ESO's Very Large Telescope and others have shown that this unique object is dark, reddish in colour and highly elongated. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1737c/ Credit: ESO, M. Kornmesser, L.Calcada. Music: Mylonite - MRP (Mylonite Recordz Production)

Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are bodies in the Solar System with orbits that can bring them into close proximity with the Earth. Every day, many of these objects collide with our planet, but most are too small to have any noticeable effect. However, there are larger objects that lurk within our Solar System with the potential to impact the Earth, like the large Chelyabinsk meteor in 2013, or even larger -- like the devastating asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. With the fate of the world at stake, scientists and engineers are working hard to protect us from these collisions. In ESOcast 168 we hear from Olivier Hainaut, an ESO astronomer, who explains the origin and nature of NEOs. He will also explore the potential threat NEOs pose to life on Earth, how we study them with ESO telescopes like the VLT, and how scientists plan to shield the Earth from this extraterrestrial threat. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/esocast168a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Herbert Zodet.  Editing: Herbert Zodet.  Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Olivier Hainaut and Calum Turner.  Music: STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com).  Footage and photos: ESO, M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada, F. Char, JAXA, ESA/Hubble, NASA, Alexandre Santerne (Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, Universidade do Porto) / Planetário do Porto - Centro Ciência Viva, B. Tafreshi (twanight.org), C. Malin (christophmalin.com), Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org), L. L. Christensen and Gianluca Lombardi (glphoto.it).  Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This animation, based on an artist’s impression, shows the first interstellar object `Oumuamua. Observations made with ESO’s Very Large Telescope, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, and others show that the object is moving faster than expected while hurtling towards the outer regions of the Solar System. Researchers assume that venting material from its surface due to solar heating is responsible for the observed speed. This outgassing can be seen in this animation as a subtle stream of material leaving the side of the object that is facing the distant Sun. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1820b/ Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, ESO, M. Kornmesser

This animation shows the path of the interstellar object `Oumuamua through the Solar System. Recent measurements of `Oumuamuas flight path show that it is not moving as the laws of celestial mechanics predict — its course is slightly off. Researchers assume that venting material from its surface due to solar heating is responsible for this behaviour. As outgassing is a behaviour typical for comets, the team thinks that `Oumuamua’s has to be classified as interstellar comet. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1820f/ Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This animation, based on an artist’s impression, shows the first interstellar object `Oumuamua. Hubble found `Oumuamua moving faster than expected. Researchers assume that venting material from its surface due to solar heating is responsible for the observed speed. The animation also shows the tumbling motion of the object. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1820c/ Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, ESO, M. Kornmesser

Astronomers have found that ‘Oumuamua, the first interstellar object discovered in the Solar System, is moving away from the Sun faster than expected. Using data from ESO’s Very Large Telescope, and from NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope, a team of researchers concluded that ‘Oumuamua is most likely outgassing — suggesting that this enigmatic interstellar nomad is a peculiar comet rather than an asteroid. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1820a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Mathias Jäger.  Visual Design and Editing: Martin Kornmesser and Luis Calçada. Editing: Martin Kornmesser.  Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Calum Turner and Mathias Jäger.  Music: Stellardrone.  Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa.  Footage and photos: ESO, ESA/Hubble NASA, ESA, Luis Calçada , M. Kornmesser and G. Hüdepohl (atacamaphoto.com).  Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This video pans across NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope observations of the elliptical galaxy ESO 325-G004 that lies about 450 million light-years away. The galaxy is part of a diverse collection of galaxies in the cluster Abell S0740. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1819c/ Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Thomas Collett discusses the methods behind his research into whether Einstein’s general theory of relativity is correct on extragalactic length scales. This research was published in the journal, Science, in June 2018. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1819d/ Credit: University of Portsmouth

Einstein’s general theory of relativity predicts that objects deform spacetime, causing any light that passes by to be deflected. This effect is only noticeable for very massive objects. One result of this deformation of spacetime is that light from distant sources is deflected around a massive intervening object, such as a galaxy. ESO 325-G004 is the large haze of light in the centre of the screen which is deforming light from the background galaxies. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1819b/ Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

Astronomers have made the most precise test ever of general relativity outside the Milky Way. A nearby galaxy acts as a strong gravitational lens, distorting light from a distant galaxy behind it to create an Einstein ring around its centre. By comparing the mass of the lensing galaxy with the curvature of space around it, the astronomers found that gravity on these astronomical length-scales behaves as predicted by general relativity. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1819a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Stephen Molyneux and Richard Hook. Music: tonelabs (http://www.tonelabs.com). Footage and photos: ESO, ESA, Hubble, M. Kornmesser, J. Colosimo, ALMA, NRAO, NAOJ, L. Calçada and the Hubble Heiratage Team (STScl/AURA). Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

Each year, several outstanding early-career scientists have the opportunity to further develop their independent research programmes at the European Southern Observatory. Fellowships are available both at ESO’s Headquarters in Garching near Munich, Germany, and at ESO’s astronomy centre in Santiago, Chile. Credit: ESO Directed by: Herbert Zodet and Oana Sandu. Editing: Herbert Zodet. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Music: STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com). Written by: Oana Sandu, Lauren Fuge and Tom Barratt. Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa. Footage and photos: ESO, F. Kamphues, B. Tafreshi (twanight.org), C. Malin (christophmalin.com), Gianluca Lombardi (glphoto.it), L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser, Liam Young/Unknown Fields, J. Härter, Naumann Film GmbH (naumann-film.de) and John Colosimo (colosimophotography.com). Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen. Download files and more information are available on: https://www.eso.org/public/videos/esocast165a/

This sequence takes the viewer from a broad view of the spectacular central regions of the Milky Way and in towards the rich constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer). Here we find an unremarkable-looking star, HD 163296, which has about twice the mass of the Sun, but is only four million years old. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1818b/ Credit: ESO. Music: Astral Electronic.

ALMA has uncovered convincing evidence that three young planets are in orbit around the infant star HD 163296. Using a new planet-finding technique, astronomers have identified three discrete disturbances in the young star’s gas-filled disc: the strongest evidence yet that newly formed planets are in orbit there. These are considered the first planets discovered with ALMA. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1818a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Stephen Molyneux and Richard Hook. Music: Johan B. Monell (www.johanmonell.com). Footage and photos: ESO, ALMA (NAOJ/NRAO), A. Isella, B. Saxton (AUI/NSF), Hubble, M. Kornmesser and L. L. Christensen. Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

Astronomers using ALMA and the VLT have discovered that starburst galaxies in both the early and the nearby Universe contain a much higher proportion of massive stars than is found in more peaceful galaxies. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1817a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO. Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Stephen Molyneux and Richard Hook. Music: written and performed by Stan Dart (www.stan-dart.com). Footage and photos: ESO, M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada. Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This artist’s impression shows a dusty galaxy in the distant Universe that is forming stars at a rate much higher than does our Milky Way. The new ALMA observations have allowed scientists to lift the veil of dust and see what was previously inaccessible — that such starburst galaxies have an excess of massive stars compared to more peaceful galaxies. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1817b/ Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser

Glowing brightly about 160 000 light-years away, the Tarantula Nebula is the most spectacular feature of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy to our Milky Way. This video sequence takes a close look at a new image from the VLT Survey Telescope at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. It reveals a cosmic landscape of star clusters, glowing gas clouds and the scattered remains of supernova explosions. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1816c/ Credit: ESO

This zoom video starts with a wide view of the Milky Way and ends with a close-up look at a rich region of star formation in the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud, in the southern constellation of Dorado (The Dolphinfish). The final view of these clouds was captured by ESO's VLT Survey Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1816b/ Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2/Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org)/Robert Gendler (http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/). Music: John Dyson

Glowing brightly about 160 000 light-years away, the Tarantula Nebula is the most spectacular feature of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy to our Milky Way. The VLT Survey Telescope at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile has imaged this region and its rich surroundings in exquisite detail. It reveals a cosmic landscape of star clusters, glowing gas clouds and the scattered remains of supernova explosions. This is the sharpest image ever of this entire field. The video is available in 4K UHD. The ESOcast Light is a series of short videos bringing you the wonders of the Universe in bite-sized pieces. The ESOcast Light episodes will not be replacing the standard, longer ESOcasts, but complement them with current astronomy news and images in ESO press releases. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1816a/ Subscribe to ESOcast in iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/esocast-hd/id295471183?mt=2 Receive future episodes on YouTube by pressing the Subscribe button above or follow us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/esoastronomy Watch more ESOcast episodes: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the ESOcast in multiple languages, or translate this video on YouTube: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/translators/ Credit: ESO. Directed by: Nico Bartmann. Editing: Nico Bartmann. Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida. Written by: Stephen Molyneux and Richard Hook. Music: Thomas Edward Rice (https://outofnothing.bandcamp.com). Footage and photos: ESO, Digitized Sky Survey 2, Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org), Robert Gendler (http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/). Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

This zoom video sequence takes the viewer far back towards the early Universe. We start with a broad view of the sky and home in on the constellation of Leo (The Lion). Here we find the spectacular cluster of galaxies MACS1149 in an image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. But far beyond this cluster lies the very faint object MACS1149-JD1. ALMA and VLT observations have shown this galaxy be seen only 500 million years after the Big Bang and to show evidence of star formation from even earlier times. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1815b/ Credit: ESO, ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), N. Risinger (skysurvey.org). Music: Konstantino Polizois