The threat of light pollution puts the world’s darkest skies in the Atacama Desert at risk
Associated Press
1 / 5
The Milky Way stretches across the night sky as seen from the Atacama Desert, Chile, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)An Extremely Large Telescope is under construction by the European Southern Observatory, in the Atacama Desert, Chile, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)An operator looks at a Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory operated by the European Southern Observatory in the Atacama Desert, Chile, Monday, April 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), under construction by the European Southern Observatory, dots the horizon in the Atacama Desert, Chile, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)Astronomers are silhouetted against the sunset sky at Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert, Chile, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
The Milky Way stretches across the night sky as seen from the Atacama Desert, Chile, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
