The threat of light pollution puts the world’s darkest skies in the Atacama Desert at risk
Associated Press
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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)
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The Milky Way stretches across the night sky as seen from the Atacama Desert, Chile, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)