Another World

On occasion, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at the Chajnantor plateau in northern Chile experiences something you might not associate with an astronomical observatory — snow!

When snow falls and coats the landscape with a frosty glaze of cool white, the entire site is transformed. It becomes something almost subterranean or extra-terrestrial, reminiscent of a rebel base from Star Wars or a dystopian scene from Blade Runner.

A number of ALMA’s 66 high-precision radio antennas can be seen in this image, connected by cleared pathways. The array spends its time observing the cool Universe and its phenomena — star formation, molecular clouds, and the early Universe.

Credit:

ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)

About the Image

Id:potw2109a
Type:Photographic
Release date:1 March 2021, 06:00
Size:4096 x 2160 px

About the Object

Name:ALMA AOS, Chajnantor
Type:Unspecified : Technology : Observatory
Category:ALMA

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