Cosmic Background Imager, Radio interferometer at Llano de Chajnantor Observatory, Chile
The Cosmic Background Imager is a radio telescope made up of 13 antennas positioned at 5,080 meters elevation in the Andes. These antennas worked together to detect extremely faint signals from space using frequencies between 26 and 36 gigahertz.
Operations began in 1999 and continued through 2008 at this high-altitude site. During this period, the instrument collected data about faint radio waves left over from the early universe.
The California Institute of Technology constructed this instrument using radio amplifiers from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, fostering international scientific partnerships.
The location in the Andes sits so high that thin air allows radio waves to pass with minimal interference. Visitors should know that the altitude makes physical demands on the body and proper preparation is important.
This instrument made the first detailed observations of a specific type of polarized radiation from space. These findings helped scientists understand more about how matter behaved in the early universe.
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