Atacama Large Millimeter Array
66 radio telescopes in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
66 radio telescopes in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) is an array of radio telescopes in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. A high and dry site is very important for millimeter wavelength work. ALMA is being built on the Chajnantor plateau at 5000 metres altitude. It will have 66 12-meter and 7-meter diameter radio telescopes observing at millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths. ALMA is expected to help scientists understand how stars were created during the early universe. It will also provide detailed imaging of local star and planet formation.
Alternative names | Atacama Large Millimeter and Submillimeter Array |
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Part of | Event Horizon Telescope Llano de Chajnantor Observatory |
Location(s) | Atacama Desert, Antofagasta Region, Atacama Desert, Chile |
Coordinates | 23°01′09″S 67°45′12″W |
Organization | National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Japan European Southern Observatory National Science Foundation |
Altitude | 5,058.7 m (16,597 ft) |
Telescope style | radio interferometer |
Website | www |
ALMA is being built by Europe, the United States, Canada, East Asia and the Republic of Chile. Costing more than a billion US dollars,[1] it is the worlds's most expensive ground-based telescope. ALMA began scientific observations in the second half of 2011 and the first images were released to the press on 3 October 2011. The project is should be fully operational by March 2013.
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