A sumptuously illustrated coffee-table book taking the reader behind the scenes at ESO, telling a story of aspiration, inspiration and discovery as the reader follows ESO on its journey to become the most productive ground-based observatory in the world. From the signing of the ESO convention in 1962, to the the creation of the La Silla Observatory in Chile, the book is an accurate depiction of the instruments, discoveries and the people who have made ESO what it is today.

The book contains the best 300 hand-picked images from ESO's large collection of more than 100 000 images. Produced especially for ESO's 50th anniversary, the book features three impressive panoramic foldout views of the observatories.