Sweden starts committing to the E-ELT

On 16 June 2011 Mariann Samuelson, acting director general of the Swedish Research Council, signed an agreement committing Sweden to provide the second instalment of its share of the additional financial contribution required for construction of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). Sweden is now one step closer to its full financial commitment to the E-ELT. The country is the second ESO Member State to start providing financial contribution to the giant telescope, after the Czech Republic committed to provide its full share on 3 June 2011 (ann11030).

The agreement was handed over to Dr. David Edvardsson (middle) of the Swedish Research Council and Prof. Claes Fransson (right) of Stockholm Observatory ��� the Swedish members of the ESO Council, which is the observatory���s ruling body ��� by ESO Director General, Prof. Tim de Zeeuw (left), at the time of the ESO Council meeting in Garching bei Munchen, Germany on 7 June 2011.