HOME

ALMA (San Pedro de Atacama, Chile)
Atacama Large Millimetric Array

© Stéphane Guisard, Los Cielos de América

Located at an altitude of 5050m, in the Chilean Altiplano near San Pedro de Atacama, ALMA is one of the largest and most ambitious scientific project. Currently under construction in the thin, dry air of northern Chile's Atacama desert on the Chajnantor plateau, ALMA will initially be composed of 66 high-precision antennas working together at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, with a possible extension in the future. Thanks to its high resolution and sensitivity, ALMA will open an entirely new "window" on the Universe, allowing scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries, in search of our Cosmic Origins.

Panoramic view of ALMA under the Milky Way. The Moon was located at the center of the Milky Way when the picture was taken.

Panoramic view of ALMA antennas. The large and small Magellanic clouds are visible to the right of the picture while Orion and the pleiades are rising in the middle. Bright Jupiter is shining in the dim and subtil lights of the Gegenschein.

Panoramic view of ALMA antennas. The large and small Magellanic clouds are visible to the right of the picture while Orion and the pleiades are rising in the middle. Bright Jupiter is shining in the dim and subtil lights of the Gegenschein.