Observeren over het spectrum
Tegen de achtergrond van een prachtige zonsondergang boven het Chajnantor-plateau in de Atacama-woestijn houden de ALMA-antennes (Atacama Large Millimeter / submillimeter Array) wacht over de hemel. ALMA, waarvan ESO een partner is, is het grootste terrestrische astronomische project dat er bestaat.
De prachtige oranje en rode tinten die de lucht verlichten terwijl de zon ondergaat achter de horizon geven ons een interessante les in fysica. Zonlicht met kortere, blauwere golflengten wordt meer verstrooid door gas- en stofmoleculen in de lucht wanneer het door de aardatmosfeer gaat dan zonlicht met langere, rodere golflengten. Naarmate de zon de horizon nadert, neemt het licht dat het aardoppervlak bereikt een langere weg door de atmosfeer, en het grootste deel van het blauwe deel van het zichtbare spectrum wordt verstrooid. Het licht dat onze ogen bereikt, kleurt de hemel rond de ondergaande zon in prachtige roodtinten.
De schoonheid van deze bloedrode lucht is echter onzichtbaar voor ALMA. ALMA's 66 telescopen kijken niet naar de lucht in het zichtbare deel van het elektromagnetische spectrum, zoals wij dat doen - ze kijken ernaar in het millimeter- en submillimetergolflengtebereik. Elektromagnetische straling van deze golflengten wordt geabsorbeerd door waterdamp in de aardatmosfeer. Daarom moeten telescopen die voor submillimeterastronomie worden gebruikt, worden gebouwd op extreem droge plaatsen, op grote hoogte, waar atmosferische absorptie hun waarnemingen niet verstoort. Vijf kilometer boven zeeniveau stellen de krachtige antennes van ALMA ons in staat om de mysteries van het heelal in een buitengewoon licht te zien.
Credit:Y. Beletsky (LCO)/ESO
Over de afbeelding
| Id: | potw2142a |
| Taal: | nl |
| Type: | Fotografisch |
| Publicatiedatum: | 18 oktober 2021 06:00 |
| Grootte: | 19020 x 6597 px |
Over het object
| Naam: | Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array |
| Type: | Unspecified : Technology : Observatory |
Afbeeldingstypen
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