2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/144143With the arrival of wide-field imagers on medium-size telescopes (e.g. SkyMapper, Pan-STARRS) and the future co-existence of LSST with the E-ELT, it is worthwhile to evaluate the scientific potential of a CCD camera with ~1 degree FOV for the VLT. Here we discuss the role that such an instrument could play in resolving persisting fundamental problems in "near-field cosmology".5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the ESO workshop "Science with the VLT in the ELT era", Springer Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings, editor A. MoorwoodAstrophysicstext