European ALMA antenna brings total on Chajnantor to 16

The first European antenna for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) reaches new heights, having been transported to the observatory’s Array Operations Site (AOS). As a busy day comes to an end, the 12-metre diameter antenna is seen here on its pad on the Chajnantor plateau, 5000 metres above sea level. It joins antennas from the other international ALMA partners, bringing the total number at the AOS to 16. Although this sounds like just another number, 16 is the number of antennas specified for ALMA to begin its first science observations, and is therefore an important milestone for the project.