Final ALMA Satellite Array Is Finished in Chilean Desert
The universe is infinite, and some of us want to see as much of it as we can. The final addition to the ALMA satellite array in Chile could help us do that.
ALMA is the largest ground-based astronomical system, and the new addition, put in place June 13, will further advance research.
ALMA, or Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array project, is in northern Chile's Atacama Desert. The new antenna was placed with the others at ALMA Observatory, 5,000 meters above sea level. It completes the 66-antenna array on the Chajnantor Plateau, Space Daily reported. In October, the antenna was taken to the ALMA Observatory for final testing.
The 12-meter-wide dish is the 25th and final European antenna to travel to the plateau. This satellite will be working among its European predecessors, and also with 25 North American 12-meter antennas and 16 East Asian antennas -- four 12 meters wide and 12 7 meters wide, Space Daily reported.
Click here to see the video of the antenna's journey to Atacama.
The ALMA project is worth $1.4 billion and is funded by the European Union, the U.S., Canada and East Asia, in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. The telescope began full operations in March, at which point it saw galaxies expelling gas, a star formation near the center of the Milky Way's super gigantic black hole and the first images of an icy ring around a distant star, WHTC reported.
Another goal of ALMA was to enable scientists to witness the beginning of the universe, about 14 billion years ago, so they could figure out how the universe evolved and expanded and observe how stars and galaxies were born, El Dínamo reported.
The idea is to have the satellites working together like one big telescope. Project director Pierre Cox says the observatory will let astronomers view the "cold universe," where the answers to cosmic secrets will soon be discovered. Cox added that ALMA should be fully functional next year, WHTC reported.
ALMA is the largest radio telescope. Construction began in 2003 on the Chajnantor Plateau, 30 miles from San Pedro de Atacama. The area looks like the lunar landscape, El Dínamo reported. The idea was conceived in the early 1980s as separate Americans, Asian and European projects and combined into one project in the 1990s.
ALMA's location is essential and ideal -- flat land, dry air, clear skies and a calm area. Constant sun all day and freezing temperatures at night make it a poor vacation spot, but an excellent astronomical one. The extreme dryness prevents water vapor from affecting data. The ALMA telescope absorbs light in the millimeter and submillimeter waves, and water vapor could distort space signals, El Dínamo reported.
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