×

UPSC Courses

DNA banner

DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 04 March, 2023

  • 5 Min Read

ALMA Telescope

ALMA Telescope

ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, will soon get hardware and software updates.

More about the news:

  • The improvement will enable it to gather significantly more data and generate photographs that are crisper than ever.
  • The correlator, a supercomputer that integrates the information from many antennas and enables astronomers to make extremely detailed images of celestial objects, will be replaced, and this will be the most major modernization made to ALMA.
  • One of the fastest supercomputers in the world is ALMA's correlator.

About Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at Atacama:

  • ALMA is a cutting-edge radio telescope that analyses astronomical objects at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. It has 66 antennas.
  • They can look through dust clouds and aid astronomers in studying faint and far-off galaxies and stars.
  • Also, it has exceptional sensitivity, enabling it to pick up radio signals that are incredibly faint.

Location: Northern Chile's Atacama Desert.

  • It has been fully functional since 2013, and has helped astronomers make significant discoveries, including that of starburst galaxies and the dust generation inside supernova 1987A.

Development:

The European Southern Observatory, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory of the United States all contributed to its design, planning, and construction (ESO).

  • A cooperation between the United States, 16 European nations, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Chile is responsible for running ALMA. The announcement was made after all of the partners had approved the financing needed for the modifications.

Why is ALMA in the Atacama Desert of Chile?

  • ALMA is located on the Chajnantor plateau in Chile's Atacama Desert at an elevation of 16,570 feet (5,050 metres) above sea level.
  • Reason: Because Earth's atmosphere readily absorbs water vapour at millimetre and submillimeter wavelengths, which are the waves it observes.
  • The desert is also the driest area on Earth, which means that most of its nights are cloud- and moisture-free, making it an ideal place for astronomical observation.
Findings of Telescope:
  • A very young T Tauri star named HL Tauri, located in the constellation Taurus, is around 450 light years away from Earth. In 2013, starburst galaxies ALMA gave precise views of the protoplanetary disc surrounding the star.
In 2015:
  • It assisted in the observation of the Einstein ring, a phenomena that happens when light from a galaxy or star passes past a large object on its way to the Earth.
  • The supermassive black hole at the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy was also captured in its first photograph.
  • In May 2022, scientists presented the image.

Source: The Hindu


Formation Day

On 1st November, eight Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu—along with five Union Territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry—celebrate their Formation Day. This date marks an important milestone in India

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

The Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Kachhua Sanctuary, is located in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is recognised as India’s first freshwater turtle wildlife sanctuary, established to conserve endangered turtle species and support the ecological health of the Ganga River. Location and Extent The sanctuary co

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

The Ministry of Education plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) from Class 3 onwards in the 2026–27 academic year. This initiative is part of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim is to prepare student

Sal Tree

Scientists from the Environment Department of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla have recently revealed that the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most effective natural air purifier for combating rising pollution levels. Their findings highlight the tree’s superior capacity to trap dust, absorb gases, and cleanse the air compared

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

The President of the United States has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapon testing after a gap of 33 years, the last test being in 1992. This decision marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy and has far-reaching implications for geopolitics, the environment, and international security. Status of Global Nuclear Weapon Testing

DNA

03 Dec,2025

Toppers

Search By Date

Newsletter Subscription
SMS Alerts

Important Links

UPSC GS Mains Crash Course - RAW Prelims Answer Key 2024