Visiting Observatories at the Top of the World!

This month, I will be going on an exciting journey. I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to visit three observatories in Chile as part of the Astronomy in Chile Education Ambassador Program (ACEAP). Nine astronomy educators from the United States will visit the ALMA, Gemini South, and CTIO observatories, and I will be one of them! 

ACEAP is is a collaboration between AUI, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, and Gemini Observatory, and is supported by the National Science Foundation. My fellow ambassadors and I are the first cohort of educators who are part of the program. After we return home, we are charged with spreading the word about all the amazing science being done in Chile.

So where will I be going? 

The Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) is a huge array of radio telescopes in the Atacama desert in northern Chile. It is ideal for radio observations, which need high elevations and dry conditions. 66 high-precision radio telescopes are located on the Chajnantor plateau, at approximately 16,500 feet elevation. The support facility is located a little lower on the mountain, at about 9,500 feet elevation. 

Only 33 of the 66 radio antennas are shown here - it is a huge array! Image Credit: ALMA and J. Guarda

Radio telescopes study radio light - light on the low-energy and long-wavelength end of the spectrum. Because ALMA is capable of studying millimeter and submillimenter wavelengths, it can "see" through dust that would block visible light. This is very useful when studying the center of the Milky Way, or new stars forming in a thick cloud of gas and dust. It can also observe radio light that is coming from very distant objects, such as the most distant galaxies and quasars. 

Here is a galaxy in only visible light. Notice that the center is so bright, it is hard to make out much structural detail. 

Galaxy NGC 1433 imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, and obtained from the Hubble Legacy Archive, which is a collaboration between the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI/NASA), the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF/ESA) and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC/NRC/CSA).

Here is the center of same galaxy with visible light PLUS radio observations.

This detailed view shows the central parts of the nearby active galaxy NGC 1433. The dim blue background image, showing the central dust lanes of this galaxy, comes from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The colored structures near the center are from recent ALMA observations that have revealed a spiral shape, as well as an unexpected outflow, for the first time. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/NASA/ESA/F. Combes

Blanco Telescope at CTIO. Image Credit: T. Abbott and NOAO/AURA/NSF

The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) is a complex of telescopes near La Serena, in northern Chile, near the coast. There are several telescopes on the site. The principle telescope is the Victor M. Blanco Telescope, an optical (visible light) telescope built in 1976. The Dark Energy Camera was recently installed on this telescope. This camera has a wide field of view, and is very sensitive. It is able to take images in the red part of the visible spectrum, and in the near infrared. In order to better understand the large scale structure of the Universe, the Dark Energy Survey will take pictures of the entire southern sky. Astronomers will use the survey images to look for galaxy clusters, supernovae, gravitational lensing, and other signs of dark energy. By the way, the data storage and processing for this instrument is done in Champaign, Illinois, at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

A simulated image showing the type of picture the Dark Energy Survey is taking. Image credit: Wikipedia Commons

Gemini South Observatory is one of a pair of telescopes. Gemini North in Hawai'i (observes the northern sky) and Gemini South in Chile (observes the southern sky). Together these telescopes can observe the almost entire sky in both visible and infrared light. Gemini South is located on the CTIO campus near La Serena, at about 9,000 feet elevation. 

Sunset over Gemini South. Image Credit: Gemini Observatory

The Gemini Telescopes are currently among the largest and most advanced optical/infrared telescopes available to astronomers. They are often operated remotely, by astronomers from all over the world. 

In the outskirts of the Orion Nebula, blue spots are clouds of gaseous iron "bullets" being propelled at supersonic speeds from a region of star formation outside of this image's view.

A portion of the Lagoon Nebula.

I am over the moon excited that I get to go to Chile and visit these amazing observatories. If you are interested in following along with my journey, keep an eye on this blog! I will be posting frequently about my experience and sharing images. I will also be posting on the Peoria Riverfront Museum's Facebook page, and the Dome Planetarium page. You can follow us on Twitter too!