29 June 2026: Celebrating 30 Years of the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo
On 29 June 2026, the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) celebrated the 30th anniversary of its inauguration, marking three decades since the telescope officially entered service on 29 June 1996.
To commemorate this important milestone, the TNG staff gathered at the observatory for a day of celebration, reflection, and shared memories, honoring the people whose dedication has made the telescope a cornerstone of international astronomical research.
Over the past thirty years, the TNG has achieved an outstanding record of scientific discoveries while continuously evolving through major technical upgrades and the development of state-of-the-art instrumentation. Thanks to these improvements, the telescope has remained at the forefront of ground-based astronomy, enabling cutting-edge research across a wide range of scientific fields.
Today, the TNG and its suite of advanced instruments support investigations spanning the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, gamma-ray bursts, the optical counterparts of gravitational-wave events, active galactic nuclei, Solar System bodies, the Milky Way, millisecond pulsars and many other areas of modern astrophysics. The telescope also plays a key role in time-domain astronomy, enabling rapid follow-up observations of transient phenomena and contributing to multi-messenger astrophysics.
This anniversary is also an opportunity to recognize the people behind the telescope's success. Generations of engineers, technicians, astronomers, administrative personnel, and directors have contributed their expertise, commitment, and vision throughout the years. While leadership and staff have naturally changed over time, every individual has left a valuable legacy, helping shape the TNG into one of the world's most advanced and versatile astronomical facilities.
As the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo enters its fourth decade of operations, it continues to embrace new scientific challenges, driven by the same spirit of innovation and collaboration that has defined its first thirty years.
Fig.1: TNG Staff
Fig.2: TNG staff
Fig.3: Celebrating with some food and Prosecco.
Pictures by José San Juan