User:Lars Lindberg Christensen/ALMA

To mark the occasion of the inauguration of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) on 13 March 2013, ESO, with its international partners, released a movie called ALMA — In Search of Our Cosmic Origins. This 16-minute video presents the history of ALMA, from the early days of the project several decades ago to the recent first science results.

The movie is illustrated by helicopter footage and has a soundtrack composed by Toomas Erm (ESO). viewers are taken on a journey to ALMA’s home on the Chajnantor Plateau, at 5000 metres above sea level, in the unique environment of the Chilean Atacama Desert.

Plot
The movie tells the story of the project from its earliest beginnings, when Europe, North America and East Asia developed a common concept for a new, large telescope for millimetre and submillimetre wavelength observations to observe the coldest and most distant objects in the Universe. It also charts the search for the perfect location and the technical and logistical challenges posed by the building of such a massive infrastructure under extremely harsh conditions and in a remote place.

The movie includes shots of the complex and fascinating technology that ALMA depends on, and explains how the 66 antennas were installed on the high desert plain. It also provides insights into the scientific developments that ALMA will bring, and the first science results, obtained before the facilities were even complete.

Details

 * Available in full HD (1080p)
 * 16 minutes
 * Narration: English
 * Subtitles: English, Česky, ελληνικά, íslenska, Português, Español, Català, Türkçe
 * License: TV stations and TV producers can show the full movie or parts free of charge in perpetuity in all regions, if proper credit is visibly and audibly included: European Southern Observatory (ESO)