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The Chajnantor Plateau of the Atacama dwarfs the radio telescopes of ALMA, a project that began construction nine years ago and is still in progress. ALMA, a collaboration among scientists and governments from Europe, Asia, and North and South America, aims to gather a fuller view of the universe than has ever before been possible.

The Atacama Desert in Chile is on the wrong side of the Andes. The trade winds that might bring moisture from the east get caught in the mountains instead, making this the driest place on Earth. But this turns out to be perfect for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array—the most powerful telescope in history. At 5,000 meters—about as high as Everest Base Camp—light pollution is minimal, and the heavens seem near.

To read the full, original article click on this link: Star Gazers - Technology Review