Marni Rose McFall is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. politics, social affairs and popular culture. She has covered fashion, culture, art and music extensively.

Paranal’s facilities, however, should soon be outclassed by ESO’s under-construction $1.5-billion Extremely Large Telescope, or ELT, which boasts a light-gathering primary mirror nearly 40 ...