About ASTE
Updated on 2025-06-27
Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment - Overview
Located 4800 meters above sea level at the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile, the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) is the state-of-the-art 10-m submillimeter telescope that observes submillimeter (0.1-1 mm) wavelengths. ASTE has brought numerous new results by observing the center of our own Galaxy, nearby star-forming regions, and distant galaxies. The extremely smooth telescope surface allows efficient submillimeter observations. The new telescope system allows astronomers to operate the telescope remotely, even from Japan.
The ASTE project is promoted by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the University of Chile, and many Japanese Universities - the University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University, Nagoya University, Keio University, Osaka Prefecture University, Ibaraki University, and Joetsu University of Education. The two main purposes of this project are to explore the outer space visible from the southern hemisphere in submillimeter wavelengths down to 0.3 mm, as well as to develop and evaluate observational techniques and methods suitable for submillimeter observations. Following extensive instrumental studies, ASTE has successfully begun routine astronomical observations in 2004, mainly operating at the wavelength of 0.87 mm (350 GHz).
The ASTE site
The ASTE telescope is located in Pampa la Bola, which is 4,800 meters above sea level at the Atacama desert in northern Chile. The site is located approximately 10 km north of Chajnantor area which is the center of the ALMA site. The observing conditions of the site have been studied by astronomers in detail since 1994. Because of its high atmospheric transmission of high-frequency radio waves, it was found to be one of the most suitable sites for high-quality submillimeter-wave observations.
View what the ASTE site looks like
Probing the Dark Universe with ASTE
The southern sky has a lot of interesting astronomical objects - the center of our own Galaxy, the Magellanic clouds, and Eta Carinae, which is one of the most massive stars in the Milky Way. With great observing capabilities and excellent conditions at Pampa la Bola, ASTE plays an important role in astronomy and astrophysics through the observations of those objects in the submillimeter wavelength.
High precision antenna and receiving system
Astronomers have studied extensively to establish a high-accuracy antenna required for submillimeter observations. The ASTE antenna has now achieved a relative pointing accuracy of 2 arcsec and a high surface accuracy of 20 microns. The surface accuracy was improved by adjusting the 205 surface panels through a technique called "holography".
Visit Instrumentation overview for more details.
ASTE Project
Brief history of ASTE
| 2002 | The ASTE telescope was installed in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Commissioning observations started. |
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| 2004 | Full-scale spectroscopic observation in submillimeter (0.87 mm) started. |
| 2007 | Japan, the United States, and Mexico started joint observations using a millimeter-wavelength camera. |
| 2011 | Tera-Hertz frequency receiver developed by the University of Tokyo and others installed and tested. |
| 2012 | New multi-color continuum-camera developed by NAOJ installed and tested. |
| 2017 | New-type radio-camera developed by the Delft University of Technology installed and tested. |
NAOJ ASTE Project Members
- Sakamoto, Seiichi (ASTE Project Director)
- Kamazaki, Takeshi
- Minamidani, Tetsuhiro
- Enokiya, Rei
- Fujii, Yasunori
- Nishitani, Hiroyuki
- Kobiki, Toshihiko
- Aguilera, Javier
- and other members (computing, safety, public relations, admin, etc.)