Blast Off | Space Wallpaper

By Space.com Staff
published

ESO Cerra Amazones 1920
Part of the 3000-metre peak of Cerro Armazones was blasted away as a step towards levelling the summit in preparation for the construction of the largest optical/infrared telescope in the world. (Image credit: ESO)

This space wallpaper shows part of the 3000-metre peak of Cerro Armazones blasting away as a step towards levelling the summit in preparation for the construction of the largest optical/infrared telescope in the world. 5000 cubic metres of rock was removed, as seen in this photo from a distance of a few hundred metres. It was the first in a series of blastings aimed to remove a total of 220 000 cubic metres of rock for the 300 x 150 metres platform.

Wallpapers

Standard
800x600
1024x768
1280x1024
1600x1200
Wide
1280x800
1440x900
1680x1050
1920x1200

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.