Atacama Large Millimeter Array

Atacama Large Millimeter Array
Location(s)	Template:Wikidata location
Coordinates	Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Altitude	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Wavelength	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).-Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Diameter	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Secondary diameter	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Tertiary diameter	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Illuminated diameter	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Length	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Width	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Mass	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Collecting area	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Illuminated area	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Focal length	Lua error in Module:Convert at line 272: attempt to index local 'cat' (a nil value).
Website	{{URL\|example.com\|optional display text}}
	Template:Wikidata location map
	[edit on Wikidata]

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.

This model of the ALMA array on the Chajnantor plateau shows how ALMA acts like a single telescope with a diameter as large as the distance between its individual antennas (represented by the blue circle).

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.

Atacama Large Millimeter Array Media

An artist's impression of ALMA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Alma antenna in transit on board of the transporter.
ALMA transporter known as Otto.
Antennae Galaxies composite of ALMA and Hubble observations
HL Tauri protoplanetary disk.
Cropped from original. This photograph was taken by ESO Photo Ambassador José Francisco Salgado.
ESOcast 51: Video report about the ALMA correlator.
This 16-minute video presents the history of ALMA from the origins of the project several decades ago to the recent first science results.