This particular asteroid has unwittingly illustrated the process used to create astronomical images, with the three different exposures making up this image displayed in the blue, green and red sections of the asteroid's path. It has 15 Member States: ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. This image was taken as part of ESO's Cosmic Gems programme , an outreach initiative to produce images of interesting, intriguing or visually attractive objects using ESO telescopes, for the purposes of education and public outreach. La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. NGC is not the only interesting feature captured in this image.