Hey folks, Harry here... Copernicus has been a spy for us for a long long time. His ears and eyes hear and see things that us non-super-astrophysicists are just not aware of. This time... he has the lowdown on Bond, James Bond. Sounds cool...

Hey kids. I was excited to some of the scenes I watched them film on the Hulk set at the University of Toronto show up in the trailer. Here comes another astro-movie connection -- Quantum of Solace is filming at the observer's quarters of the Very Large Telescope in Chile.

I've observed in Chile many times, and it has stunning geography that will make for some great vistas. Even though I regularly use the VLT, I've never been to Paranal. The VLT has observers on-site that do the observations for you and send you the data. The Residencia is already something like a Bond Villain's lair -- judging from the press release below, it may be playing a role something like that in QoS.

It seems to be in keeping with the tradition of grounding Craig's Bond in the real, though exotic world. Unclear if there will be any
astronomy connection, but could it be that there is a reason for that stupid title after all?

I'm excited!

-Copernicus

Here's the press release sent through the American Astronomical Society

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Images available at This Location

A GIANT OF ASTRONOMY AND A QUANTUM OF SOLACE

Blockbuster shooting in Paranal

Cerro Paranal, the 2600m high mountain in the Chilean Atacama Desert
that hosts ESO's Very Large Telescope, will be the stage for scenes
in the next James Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace".

Looking akin to Mars, with its red sand and lack of vegetation, the
Atacama Desert is thought to be the driest place on Earth. Cerro
Paranal is home to ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), which, with its
array of four giant 8.2-m individual telescopes, is the world's most
advanced optical observatory. The high-altitude site and extreme
dryness make excellent conditions for astronomical observations.

"We needed a unique site for a unique set of telescopes, and we found
it at Paranal," said Andreas Kaufer, ESO's Paranal Director. "We are
very excited that the Bond production team have also chosen this
location."

The excellent astronomical conditions at Paranal come at a price,
however. In this forbidding desert environment, virtually nothing can
grow outside. The humidity drops below 10%, there are intense
ultraviolet rays from the sun, and the high altitude leaves people
short of breath. Living in this extremely isolated place feels like
visiting another planet.

To make it possible for people to live and work here, a hotel or
"Residencia" was built in the base camp, allowing them to escape from
the arid outside environment. Here, returning from long shifts at the
VLT and other installations on the mountain, they can breathe moist
air and relax, sheltered from the harsh conditions outside. The
Residencia's award-winning design, including an enclosed tropical
garden and pool under a futuristic domed roof, gives its interior a
feeling of open space within the protective walls - this is a true
"haven in the desert".

It is this unique building that serves as the backdrop for the James
Bond filming.

QUANTUM OF SOLACE producer, Michael G. Wilson said: "The Residencia
of Paranal Observatory caught the attention of our director, Marc
Forster and production designer, Dennis Gassner, both for its
exceptional design and its remote location in the Atacama desert. It
is a true oasis and the perfect hide-out for Dominic Greene, our
villain, whom 007 is tracking in our new James Bond film."

In addition to the shooting at the Residencia, further action will
take place at the Paranal airstrip.

The film crew present on Paranal includes Englishman Daniel Craig,
taking again the role of James Bond, French actor Mathieu Amalric,
leading lady Olga Kurylenko, from the Ukraine, as well as acclaimed
Mexican actors, Joaquin Cosio and Jesus Ochoa. This cast from across
Europe and Latin America mirrors the international staff that works
for ESO at Paranal.

After leaving Paranal at the end of the week, the film crew will
shoot in other locations close to Antofagasta. Other sequences have
been filmed in Panama and, following the Chilean locations, the unit
will be travelling to Italy and Austria before returning to Pinewood
Studios near London in May.

QUANTUM OF SOLACE will be released in the UK on 31 October 2008, and
in the US and internationally on 7 November 2008.