The Netherlands Joins the CTAO ERIC as Observer

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Bologna, Italy — On 20 July, the Netherlands officially joined the CTAO ERIC as an Observer. The admission, which was unanimously approved by the CTAO ERIC Council, reinforces the strong, long-standing partnership between the Dutch scientific community and the Observatory. With the addition of the Netherlands, the CTAO ERIC is now supported by a growing international coalition comprising 11 countries and one intergovernmental organisation.  Under … Continued

Italian Minister of University and Research Visits the CTAO-South Site in Chile 

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On Thursday, 12 March, Anna Maria Bernini, the Italian Minister of University and Research, travelled to ESO’s Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Her visit included tours of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and CTAO-South, the CTAO’s telescope array site in the southern hemisphere. She was accompanied by a small delegation that included Valeria Biagiotti, Ambassador of Italy … Continued

The CTAO Engages with Slovenian Industry at Big Science Business Meeting 

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On 3 February, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS) hosted the annual Big Science business meeting, an event designed to connect national companies and institutions with leading research organisations worldwide. This year, the CTAO was invited to play a central role in the event, giving the CTAO Director General, Stuart McMuldroch, a platform to present the opportunities for synergy between the Observatory and the Slovenian industrial community.  The event, … Continued

Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks the Beginning  of CTAO-South Array Construction in Chile 

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Paranal, Chile, 17 December 2025 — Representatives from the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and governmental authorities gathered today to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the CTAO’s southern site, CTAO-South. After years of successful site preparations, the event marked the beginning of construction on the telescope foundations, paving the way for … Continued

Small-Sized Telescopes Pass Readiness Review to Proceed to Factory Testing

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On 2–3 December, the CTAO Central Organisation’s Telescope team visited the facilities of the Italian company Dal Ben, located in the Veneto region, to conduct the Test Readiness Review (TRR) for the electromechanical structure of the Small-Sized Telescope (SST). After the CTAO SST Collaboration completed the integration of the first SST telescope at the facility, … Continued

Switzerland and Croatia Officially Become Members of the CTAO ERIC 

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From 19 to 21 November 2025, the CTAO ERIC Council convened at the CTAO Science Data Management Centre (SDMC) in Zeuthen, Berlin, for its fifth meeting. During the session, the Council unanimously approved a revision of the CTAO ERIC Statutes to formally include Switzerland and Croatia as full members, granting them corresponding voting rights. Switzerland … Continued

The CTAO Receives Commemorative Plaque Celebrating its ERIC Status Under the Danish EU Presidency

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On 22 October, during the Research and Technology Infrastructure (RTI) Summit 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Francisco Colomer, Chair of the CTAO ERIC Council, received a commemorative plaque from the European Commission on behalf of the CTAO, ceremonially recognising the Observatory’s establishment as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC). The handover took place during a special … Continued