Atacama Pathfinder Experiment

200512 m dishESO/MPIfR/Onsala

LocationChile

Year2005

Size12 m dish

OperatorESO/MPIfR/Onsala

About Atacama Pathfinder Experiment

A 12 m millimeter and submillimeter antenna on the Chajnantor Plateau at about 5,100 m. Served as a prototype and technology pathfinder for ALMA. Studies cold gas in star-forming regions of the Milky Way and in distant galaxies. One of the highest permanently staffed telescopes on Earth.

Related Observatories

Very Large Telescope

19988.2 m mirrors (4)ESO

Four unit telescopes at Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert. Can work together as an interfero...

ALMA

201166 antennasESO/NAOJ/NRAO

The Atacama Large Millimeter Array. 66 precision antennas at 5,058 m altitude. Cost 1.4 billion doll...

European Extremely Large Telescope

2028 (planned)39.3 m mirrorESO

The largest optical/near-infrared telescope in the world when completed. The main mirror is 39.3 m a...

Giant Magellan Telescope

2029 (planned)25.4 m mirrorGMTO Corporation

Seven of the largest telescope mirrors ever made, each 8.4 m. Located at Las Campanas Observatory. W...