CERRO PARANAL: Chile’s pristine, dark desert skies, world-renowned for astronomy, are at risk of being outshined by urban and industrial development, according to astronomers.

Angel Otarola, an astronomer and member of the light pollution committee of the Chilean Astronomical Society, says light pollution around the state-of-the-art Paranal Observatory is currently about one per cent and worries about losing the darkness vital to their studies.

“What protected us before was distance, but now these projects are getting closer,” Otarola said, adding that the infrastructure and lighting required by industries “will potentially begin to increase artificial light pollution.”

Chile, the world’s largest copper producer and second-largest lithium producer, has seen mining and renewable energy projects expand in its mineral-rich north in recent years. Paranal telescope operator Marcela Espinoza says it’s essential for Chile to preserve “the best skies in the world” so that other countries keep choosing the region to install their telescopes.

The European Southern Observatory is currently building the 1.45 billion Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) at the nearby Cerro Armazones. The main project scientists have pointed out is the Inna project, a mega green hydrogen and ammonia development by AES Andes, a subsidiary of the US AES Corporation.

AES said that the Inna project, which began in 2021, had received no opposition on lighting issues until August 2024.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025