An artist's view of the completed Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile's Atacama Desert. Here, the array is arranged in a compact configuration.
Japan has provided the first of twelve 7-meter antennas to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile. ALMA will have an array of 50 antennas with 12-meter diameter dishes. The 7-meter antenna is seen here at the ALMA Operations Support Facility (OSF), at an altitude of 2,900 meters in the foothills of the Chilean Andes. Later it will be moved to the plateau of Chajnantor at a 5,000-meter altitude.
The first European antenna for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has reached new heights, having been transported to the observatory’s Array Operations Site (AOS) on 27 July 2011.
This picture of the ALMA radio antennas on the Chajnantor Plateau in Chile, 16,500 feet above sea level, was taken a few days before the start of ALMA Early Science operations. Nineteen antennas are on the plateau.
The ALMA radio telescope array in Chile captured this shot of the Antennae Galaxies, which are about 75 million light-years from Earth. This is the first ALMA image to be released to the public.
A combined view of the Antennae Galaxies, taken by the ALMA radio telescope array and the Hubble Space Telescope.
The moon and the Milky Way shine over the ALMA telescope array in this photo. When the panorama was taken, the moon was lying close to the center of the Milky Way in the sky, its light bathing the antennas in an eerie night-time glow.
ESO Photo Ambassador Babak Tafreshi snapped this remarkable image of the antennas of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), set against the splendour of the Milky Way.
This new image of Centaurus A combines ALMA and near-infrared observations of the massive elliptical radio galaxy. Image released May 31, 2012.
Orion over ALMA antennas, Chile.
Observations using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have revealed an unexpected spiral structure in the material around the old star R Sculptoris.
This impressive panoramic image depicts the Chajnantor Plateau — home of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) — with the majestic Licancabur volcano in the background.
Four of the European Southern Observatory's Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) antennas gaze up at the night sky. Milky Way is visible at left.
Large cacti appear to point at the sky in the Chilean Atacama Desert. The Milky Way dominates the image, with the Large Magellanic Cloud in the lower right. These cacti (Echinopsis atacamensis) grow on average 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) per year, and reach heights of up to 30 feet (9 meters). These particular plants are found on the winding road connecting ESO's Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Operation Support Facility to the Array Operation Site at ESO, at an altitude of about 11,500 feet (3500 meters)
This panoramic view of Chajnantor plateau in Chile shows the antennas of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) against a breathtaking starry night sky.
The antennas of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) shine under the southern sky. Image released Dec. 31, 2012.
Observations made with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope of the disc of gas and cosmic dust around the young star HD 142527, showing vast streams of gas flowing across the gap in the disc. These are the first direct observations of these streams.
The ALMA telescope, currently under construction in the Atacama Desert of Chile. Using the power of this new telescope, this study predicts it should be possible to measure black-hole masses in hundreds of galaxies.
The ALMA radio antennas bathed in red light in this image. In the background there is the southern Milky Way on the left and the Magellanic Clouds at the top.