View, showing two Eriosyce plants.
These pictures were taken in 1979 and 1982 during my days as an astronomer. There are several observatories in Chile, where the conditions are particularly good for observing, hence my two visits to the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory.
The observatory is situated some 480km north of Santiago, and 80km inland from La Serena, at an altitude of 2200 metres.
Several species of cacti grew on the hillsides below the observatory, and I was able to find plants of Eulychnia, Eriosyce, and Neoporteria.
Click on the thumbnails for more details.
View, showing two Eriosyce plants.
Eriosyce species.
The mountainside, showing several Eulychnia plants.
Eulychnia species, probably E. spinibarbis or E. breviflora.
View, with Neoporteria and Eriosyce.
Neoporteria species.