Hawaii Astronomy

The Submillimeter Array (SMA) scans the universe by detecting light that cannot be seen by the human eye. It receives submillimeter radiation, which wavelength ranges from 0.3 to 1.7 millimeter, or 0.01 to 1.07 inches.

The primary source of the detection of the Submillimeter Array is the cold interstellar material, which is consisted of gas, dust, and small rock like bodies. These are the substances that makes the stars and the planets. Throught the scanning of the detected radiations that were emmited by these materials, the study of the formation and the deaths of the interstellar bodies can be made through the use of the Submillimeter Array. One great feature of the SMA is that it can seethrough the dust clouds in space, thus witnessing the birth of a star where opical telescopes of the human eyes cannot see.

The SMA is the world’s first imagin interometric telescope at the submillimeter wavelengths, it is consisted of 8 movable antennas that can be moved along the sides of a Releaux triangle to provide optimal imaging quality. Each of the antennas is composed of a smooth parabolic reflector 6 meters (19 and 2/3 feet) in diameter. The signals from the antennas are amplified and combined electronically to give the resolution equivalent to an antenna of 0.5 km (0.3 miles) across.

The SMA is located on the summit of Mauna Kea, which is above the 40% of the earths atmosphere. The submillimeter radiation that the astronomical objects emit is partially absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere, and at sea level, the little submillimeter that enters the Earth will be impossible to detect, by having the SMA on a high and dry site, the radiation can be detected and studied.