ALMA Observatory - Chajnantor Plateau, Atacama, Chile

White telescope dishes stand across a stark mountain plateau beneath the southern sky at ALMA Observatory. By day, the camera reveals the antennas against rocky terrain and distant ridges. After darkness falls, stars appear above the array, with clouds sometimes passing across the wide view.

High in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the Llano de Chajnantor lies about 16,400 feet (5,000 m) above sea level. Its high elevation and dry atmosphere help astronomers detect millimeter and submillimeter radiation, revealing cold gas and dust in regions where stars and planets are taking shape.

The antennas can turn toward different targets, adding slow movement beneath a sky that changes throughout the night. Moonlight may illuminate the ground, while darker conditions reveal more stars. Snow occasionally transforms the bare plateau, showing that even this dry astronomical site experiences changing mountain weather.

Did You Know? ALMA combines signals from 66 antennas, allowing them to work together as one telescope with dishes spread up to about 10 miles (16 km) apart.

See more live night sky cams, explore the Sky collection, browse live webcams in Chile, or explore our Live Webcam Map.

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