Austria to join ESO

After 30 years of prodding from its astronomy community, Austria made a formal bid in April for membership in the European Southern Observatory. “Last autumn felt like the final phase of frustration,” says University of Vienna astronomer Franz Kerschbaum, who has been campaigning for ESO membership since he was a student in the 1980s. But each new science minister brought new priorities and kept presenting the astronomers with “new homework,” Kerschbaum adds. “So we were really surprised with the move by the ministry this spring.” ESO council members are expected to confirm Austria this month as ESO’s 14th member state beginning 1 July.

Austria’s share of ESO’s roughly €160 million ($249 million) annual budget will be about €3 million per year. Membership in ESO will gain Austrian scientists access to the 8.2-m Very Large Telescope in Chile and participation in the design of the 42-m Extremely Large Telescope. The country’s high-tech sector will also benefit from the opportunity to develop the advanced optics, detectors, and lightweight materials needed for astronomical instrumentation.