ATACAMA LARGE MILLIMETER/ SUBMILLIMETER ARRAY (ALMA)
Location: Atacama Desert, Chile Type: Radio Diameter: 12 metres
6 ALMA is made up of 66 radio telescopes, with 54 of these measuring 12 metres in diameter and the remaining 12 seven metres. Collectively known as an astronomical interferometer, each of these antennae work together to create one image. When this array is used in different combinations, the range of visibility varies. This is essential for targeting the desired galactic areas. One of the groundbreaking discoveries made by ALMA was the most distant oxygen in space. This is a record that these telescopes have broken more than once.
The furthest detection of oxygen in space was 13.28 billion light years away, and evidence of this was picked up by ALMA in 2018. Due to the expansion of the universe, the infrared light that had been emitted from this oxygen was converted into microwaves as it stretched. The signal came from ionised oxygen in the galaxy MACS1149-JD1.