The IRAM 30-meter telescope is a radio telescope used for astronomical observations in the millimeter range of

wavelength In physics, the wavelength is the spatial period of a periodic wave—the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. It is the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase on the wave, such as two adjacent crests, tro ...

s, operated by the Institute for Radio Astronomy in the Millimeter Range (IRAM) and located in the Sierra Nevada,

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, close to the Pico Veleta peak. Its large surface and wide-angle camera make it a perfect tool for the exploration of large cosmic objects such as

interstellar cloud An interstellar cloud is generally an accumulation of gas, plasma, and dust in our and other galaxies. Put differently, an interstellar cloud is a denser-than-average region of the interstellar medium, the matter and radiation that exists in t ...

s, birthplaces for

star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...

s, and even galaxies. The 30-meter telescope also allows astronomers to observe the black hole and the center of the Milky way by granting access to parts of the southern skies. The IRAM is one of the most sensitive single dish radio telescopes in the world. Each year, more than 200 scientists from all over the world visit this observatory to explore the universe at millimeter wavelengths, with interests going from the

Solar System The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...

interstellar dust Cosmic dust, also called extraterrestrial dust, star dust or space dust, is dust which exists in outer space, or has fallen on Earth. Most cosmic dust particles measure between a few molecules and 0.1 mm (100 micrometers). Larger particles are c ...

and

gas Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma). A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...

cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in Latin by German philosopher ...

. Together with IRAM's second facility, the NOEMA observatory, the 30-meter telescope is part of the global

Event Horizon Telescope The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is a large Astronomical interferometer, telescope array consisting of a global network of radio telescopes. The EHT project combines data from several very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) stations around Ear ...

array. It was the only station in Europe to participate in the 2017 EHT observing campaign that produced the first-ever image of a black hole.

Operation

Built-in four years (1980-1984), the telescope operates at 2850 meters above sea level. Due to its large surface, the 30-meter telescope is highly sensitive and well-adapted to detect weak sources. The surface of the parabola with its 420 panels is adjusted to a precision of 55 micrometers, corresponding to the width of a human hair. The telescope is equipped with a suite of heterodyne receivers and continuum cameras operating at wavelengths of around 0.8, 1, 2, and 3 millimeters. By pointing the telescope toward a celestial source, and then scanning and tracking the source, astronomers can build up radio images – of complete galaxies or regions of star formation in the

Milky Way The Milky Way is the galaxy that includes our Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye. ...

. With its ability to observe simultaneously at several wavelengths, the telescope can produce multiple images of the same region at once. IRAM offers guided tours through the observatory and public talks during the month of summer.

Science

Compared to optical astronomy, which is sensitive to the hot universe (stars are generally a few thousand degrees Celsius), radio telescopes that operate in the millimeter wavebands, such as the IRAM 30-meter telescope, can view the cold universe (around −250°C). Both IRAM facilities can see the formation of the first galaxies in the universe, observe super-giant black holes at the center of galaxies, analyze the chemical evolution and dynamics of nearby galaxies, detect organic molecules and possible key elements of life, and investigate the formation of stars and the appearance of planetary systems. As part of the EHT array, the IRAM 30-meter telescope obtained the first-ever image of a black hole. Despite primarily being known for its work in EHT, EHT is not the only area in which the IRAM has done pioneering work. For instance, the first high-resolution radio observations of the heart of the

galaxy and its black hole named

Sagittarius A* Sagittarius A* ( ), abbreviated Sgr A* ( ), is the supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center of the Milky Way. It is located near the border of the constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius, about 5.6° south of the ecliptic, ...

were made in 1995 – with a combination of the IRAM 30-meter telescope and the NOEMA array (former Plateau de Bure Interferometer). The telescope also obtained the first complete and detailed radio images of nearby galaxies and their gases. Together with NOEMA, it discovered one-third of the

interstellar molecules This is a list of molecules that have been detected in the interstellar medium and circumstellar envelopes, grouped by the number of component atoms. The chemical formula is listed for each detected compound, along with any ionized form that has ...

known to date (published ApJ, 2018, Brett A. McGuire{{Cite journal, url=https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4365/aae5d2/pdf, language=en, doi=10.3847/1538-4365/aae5d2, title=2018 Census of Interstellar, Circumstellar, Extragalactic, Protoplanetary Disk, and Exoplanetary Molecules , year=2018 , last1=McGuire , first1=Brett A. , journal=The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series , volume=239 , issue=2 , page=17 , s2cid=119522774 ).

Gallery

File:The IRAM 30-meter telescope scanning the night sky.jpg, The IRAM 30-meter telescope scanning the night sky File:The IRAM 30-meter telescope.jpg, The IRAM 30-meter telescope File:NOEMA observatory. IRAM.jpg, The NOEMA observatory, IRAM's second facility

References

Radio telescopes