Light pollution threatens world’s darkest skies in the Atacama
The Paranal Observatory operated by European Southern Observatory stands in the Atacama Desert, Chile, April 14, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AP
It takes a moment for the eyes to adjust. A faint spark appears in the darkness; then another, brighter one. Soon, stars, planets and entire constellations emerge. Before long, a whole galaxy stretches across the sky, visible to the naked eye.
In Chile’s Atacama Desert, the night sky feels infinite. Considered the driest place on the earth, its darkness is also one of the clearest windows to the universe.
Published – April 27, 2026 02:13 pm IST
