What is Atacama Large Millimeter Array?
{{Infobox telescope}} [[File:Visualisation of ALMA as an interferometer.ogv|thumb|300px|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).]] The '''Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array''' ('''ALMA''') is an [[interferometer|array]] of [[radio telescope]]s 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&nbsp;metres altitude. It will have 66 12-meter and 7-meter diameter [[radio telescope]]s observing at millimeter and sub-millimeter [[wavelength]]s. 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. ALMA is being built by Europe, the United States, Canada, East Asia and the Republic of [[Chile]]. Costing more than a [[1000000000 (number)|billion]] [[US dollar]]s,<ref>{{cite web | last = Romero | first = Simon | title = At the End of the Earth, Seeking Clues to the Universe | publisher = New York Times | date = 7 April 2012 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/world/americas/high-in-chilean-desert-a-huge-astronomy-project.html | access-date = 8 April 2012}}</ref> 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. ==References== {{reflist}} {{tech-stub}} [[Category:Telescopes]] [[Category:Astronomical observatories in Chile]] [[Category:Atacama Region]]