Welcome to the ESO Science Archive Facility
The ESO Science Archive Facility contains data from ESO telescopes at La Silla Paranal Observatory, including the APEX submillimeter telescope on Llano de Chajnantor. All raw data from the La Silla Paranal Observatory are stored together with the corresponding calibrations, as well as selected products both contributed by the community or generated at ESO. In addition, the raw UKIDSS/WFCAM data obtained at the UK Infrared Telescope facility in Hawaii are available.
The Principal Investigators of successful proposals for time on ESO telescopes have exclusive access to their scientific data for the duration of a proprietary period, normally of one year, after which the data becomes available to the community at large. Please read the ESO Data Access Policy statement for more information, along with the relevant FAQs.
Browsing the archive does not require authentication. Please acknowledge the use of archive data in any publication.
There are three main ways to access the archive, varying for content and presentation/interface: the usual Raw Data query form, the innovative Science Portal to browse and access the processed data, and the novel Programmatic and Tools access which permits direct database access to both raw and processed data, and to the ambient condition measurements, also in a scriptable and VO manner. Other query forms are available in the table at the bottom of this page.
Latest News and Updates 
- Second data release from the VISTA second cycle Public Survey VEILS (30 Nov 2023)
- Third and final release of the programme INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics (INSPIRE) (14 November 2023)
- First release of X-shooter spectra from the young stellar objects observed under the PENELLOPE Large Programme (25 Oct 2023)
- First Data Release of ePESSTO+, the advanced Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects (18 Aug 2023)
To browse the archive
Currently, raw data and various types of data products can be reached via different interfaces:
| Category | Access Point | Data collection | Data Type | Instruments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LPO Raw Data | Raw data query form (all instruments) Instrument specific query forms Direct retrieval of raw data by file name |
All ESO raw data | Various | Many La Silla Paranal instruments |
| LPO Processed Data
|
Science Portal (Processed Data) Type specific query forms (generic, spectral, imaging, VISTA) Direct retrieval of reduced data by file name |
Processed Data (ESO public surveys; ESO pipeline-reduced products; Large programs: GOODS, zCOSMOS; etc.) | Imaging, Spectroscopy, Catalogs, etc. | Various |
| Catalogue Facility query interface | Catalogues [ESO User Portal authentication required] | Catalogues | Various | |
| HARPS-Polarimetry pipeline processed data query form | HARPS-Polarimetry and calibration pipeline processed data | Spectroscopy | HARPS-Polarimetry, HARPS reduced calibrations (other HARPS see Phase3 above). FEROS is now available via the Phase 3 interfaces. |
|
| Other Advanced Data Products (available only as downloadable packages, no query form) | Various (30 Doradus, Corot, GaBoDs, etc.) |
Spectroscopy Imaging |
FEROS WFI |
|
| Science Verification, Commissioning, EIS, etc. (no query form) | Full list of available data packages | Various | Many | |
| APEX Quick Look Products | APEX query form | APEX | Heterodyne, Bolometer | ArTéMiS, CHAMP+, FLASH, LABOCA, SABOCA, SEPIA, SHFI |
| LPO Schedule | Scheduling query form | ESO Observing Programme Information and Scheduling | All La Silla Paranal instruments, including APEX | |
| ALMA Data |
ALMA Science Archive | All ALMA data | Cube | ALMA |
The ESO Science Archive Facility was developed in partnership with the Space Telescope – European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF). It was operated jointly until the closure of the ST-ECF in December 2010.