Astronomers celebrated today the formal acceptance of the first North American antenna by the Joint ALMA Observatory. ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, is a gathering armada of short-wavelength radio telescopes whose combined power will enable astronomers to probe with unprecedented sharpness phenomena and regions that are beyond the reach of visible-light telescopes.
ALMA Observatory Equipped with its First Antenna
High in the Atacama region of northern Chile one of the world’s most advanced telescopes has just passed a…
Welcome Taiwan as ALMA Partner
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory has announced a formal agreement enabling Taiwanese astronomers to participate in the North American component of the international ALMA partnership, alongside American and Canadian astronomers. Taiwan’s efforts will be led by the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Center for Chemistry of the Universe
A new research center combining the tools of chemistry and astronomy will use the unique laboratory of interstellar space to free the study of basic chemistry from the restrictive bonds of Earth.
New Head of the North American ALMA Science Center
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory has announced the appointment of Dr. Carol Jean Lonsdale as the Observatory’s new Assistant Director for the North American ALMA Science Center. As NAASC head, Lonsdale will lead the team that will enable North American astronomers to exploit the capabilities of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, a powerful new international astronomical facility under construction in the high-altitude Atacama Desert of northeastern Chile.
Telescope’s High-Tech ‘Heart’
The Expanded Very Large Array, part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, took a giant step toward completion on August 7 with successful testing of advanced digital hardware designed to combine signals from its upgraded radio-telescope antennas to produce high resolution images of celestial objects.