New APEX instrument for finding water in the Universe

A new instrument attached to the 12-metre Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope at 5000 metres above sea level in the Chilean Andes is opening up a previously unexplored window on the Universe. The Swedish–ESO PI receiver for APEX (SEPIA) will detect the faint signals from water and other molecules within the Milky Way, other nearby galaxies and the early Universe.

In this picture engineers from Onsala Space Observatory's Group for Advanced Receiver Development examine the top part of SEPIA before installation at APEX. On the left Mathias Fredrixon and Denis Meledin (leaning down), and behind them Igor Lapkin.