Photo – Page 80 – National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Chilean President Sebastián Piñera and former NSF Director, Subra Suresh

Chilean President at ALMA

On March 13, 2013, ALMA was officially inaugurated by Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, seen here at the 16,500-ft elevation high site with former NSF Director, Subra Suresh.

This is the view of the Chajnantor Plateau that greeted NRAO astronomers who were exploring the northeastern region of Chile as a potential site for a millimeter/submillimeter wave telescope array then known as the MMA. The high altitude of 16,500 feet and the flat expanse were perfect for our needs. European and Japanese radio astronomers agreed, and we pooled our projects to build ALMA here.

Milky Way Over ALMA

In its high-elevation site, where the atmospheric pressure is half what it is at sea level, ALMA’s views of the sky are second to none. Here, the band of stars known as the Milky Way arcs over the antennas. This band is our embedded view through the disk of our spiral-shaped Milky Way Galaxy.

The Artistry of an ALMA Front End

Behind the dish of each ALMA antenna sits one of these Front Ends, the chilled coolers that hold the suite of cutting-edge receivers.

Each receiver was hand-crafted in one of three different laboratories around the world. They were brought together to be assembled into this cryogenic unit and shipped to Chile for installation inside each of ALMA’s 66 antennas.

Moon Over 12-meter ALMA Telescope

In November 2012, the 25th of 25 North American ALMA antennas was accepted into the array. Here it is at sunset on that day, with a full Moon setting behind it.

Moon Over 12-meter ALMA Telescopes

A full Moon perches over ALMA’s Operations Support Facility in northern Chile where a Japanese 12-meter antenna and two North American 12-meter antennas undergo final testing before being moved into the array.

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