Due to its high elevation, little cloud cover, dry air, and absence of light pollution and radio interference from densely populated cities and towns, this desert is one of the greatest spots on Earth for astronomical observations. [53][54] Through a telescope, hundreds of thousands of stars may be visible, since the desert sees more than 200 clear nights each year. Numerous telescopes have been erected to assist astronomers from all around the world in their studies of the cosmos. [55] The Atacama Large Millimeter Array, a radio astronomical telescope erected at the Llano de Chajnantor Observatory by European countries, Japan, the United States, Canada, and Chile, formally opened on 3 October 2011. [56] Since 1999, a variety of radio astronomy projects, including the CBI, the ASTE, and the ACT, have been active in the Chajnantor region. The ESO council voted on 26 April 2010 to establish a fourth site, Cerro Armazones, to house the Extremely Large Telescope. [57] [58][59] The ELT site began construction in June 2014. [60] The European Southern Observatory presently runs three large observatories in Atacama and is in the process of constructing a fourth:
With Adventure Life, explore the Atacama Desert, the world's driest desert (second only to cold Antarctica). Take in the turquoise lagoons and salt flats, which contrast with the pink flamingos and reds and oranges of the desert. View the Valley of the Moon's lunar sceneries, enormous sand dunes, and polychromatic rock formations. Witness the El Taito geyser erupt. In the evenings, unwind at one of the region's gorgeous eco-lodges, such as Awasi or Terrantai Lodge. Spend four to five days exploring the desert on our most popular trip, or stay in luxury at the Awasi Atacama Lodge. On the Atacama multisport trip, you may enjoy hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Contact the Chile specialists at Adventure Life for assistance in organizing your ideal vacation to Chile's Atacama desert.
Leaving your umbrella at home is a good idea.
It's difficult to overestimate how parched the Atacama Desert, a plateau on northern Chile's coast, really is. The Andes Mountains act as a 13,000-foot-high wall, fully preventing moist air systems from the Amazon Basin. As a consequence, the whole Atacama Desert, a 1,000-mile-wide swath of territory, is almost devoid of rain. Arica, one of the major towns in the desert, gets an average yearly rainfall of 0.76 millimeters, around the height of a flea egg.
Visit San Pedro De Atacama
The tourist town in the Atacama Desert is bohemian and cool, with major avenues lined with white and light brown adobe (mud bricks) structures. Tourism is central to life here, with over a hundred tour companies, several restaurants (from affordable to gourmet dining), and pubs. Don't miss the charming plaza with its 17th-century white church, which is said to be Chile's oldest.
