Astronomers using the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) instruments are unveiling new scientific research that probes some of the most extreme environments in the universe. This news will be shared in press conferences at the 248th American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting in Pasadena, June 14th-18th.
Recent News
Cosmic Dawn Fuel Discovery Unlocks Early Galaxy Growth Secrets
Astronomers have discovered a huge reservoir of cold molecular gas, the direct fuel for star formation, in REBELS-25, a massive, star-forming galaxy.
Milky Way’s Black Hole Finally Caught ‘Breathing’
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have finally found clear evidence that the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*(Sgr A*), is blowing a hot cosmic wind – something scientists have been hunting for over 50 years.
ALMA Takes First Step Toward Return to Service
Personnel at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile have begun the process of returning the facility to an active observational status, following the shutdown caused by COVID-19 in March of 2020. Single-dish test observations of Mars at Band 3 (84-116 GHz) have been completed with two antennas. The first few ALMA antennas are being brought back online initially by powering up their drive systems.
We are grateful to the dedicated crew that is working to bring ALMA back into operation, and are happy to see this successful first step. Much work remains to be done, but we have begun the journey.
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
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The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international astronomy facility, is a partnership of the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. ALMA is funded by ESO on behalf of its Member States, by NSF in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and by NINS in cooperation with the Academia Sinica (AS) in Taiwan and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI).
ALMA construction and operations are led by ESO on behalf of its Member States; by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), managed by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), on behalf of North America; and by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) on behalf of East Asia. The Joint ALMA Observatory (JAO) provides the unified leadership and management of the construction, commissioning and operation of ALMA.
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This news article was originally published on the NRAO website on January 14, 2021.
Recent News
NSF NRAO at 248th American Astronomical Society Meeting, Science Featured in Six Press Conferences
Astronomers using the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) instruments are unveiling new scientific research that probes some of the most extreme environments in the universe. This news will be shared in press conferences at the 248th American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting in Pasadena, June 14th-18th.
Cosmic Dawn Fuel Discovery Unlocks Early Galaxy Growth Secrets
Astronomers have discovered a huge reservoir of cold molecular gas, the direct fuel for star formation, in REBELS-25, a massive, star-forming galaxy.
Milky Way’s Black Hole Finally Caught ‘Breathing’
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have finally found clear evidence that the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*(Sgr A*), is blowing a hot cosmic wind – something scientists have been hunting for over 50 years.