Astronomical Observatories in Spain
PICO VELETA OBSERVATORY - IRAM
The 30 meter radiotelescope placed in Pico Veleta, 2850 m. altitude in Sierra Nevada (Granada) and the interferometer of six antennas in the Plateau de Bure (2550 m.) in France are both observatories of which consists the IRAM (Institute of Millimetric Radio Astronomy), founded in 1979 and operated together by a collaboration between France, Germany and Spain across associate institutes: the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France ), the MPG ( Max Planck Gesellschaft, Germany) and the IGN ( Instituto Geográfico Nacional, Spain).
The principal activity of the IRAM is the study of the cold matter (molecular gas and dust) in the solar system, in our Galaxy and in extragalactics regions.
(photo:
Francois-Xavier Désert)
30 meter Radiotelescope
photo: Francois-Xavier Désert
The great altitude where is located the radio telescope (2850 meters) is fundamental to reduce the water steam absorption in the millimetric wavelengths observations.
Image Gallery :
foto: Francois-Xavier Désert
foto: SFG - UCM
foto: Francois-Xavier Désert
foto: SFG - UCM
foto: SFG - UCM
foto: SFG - UCM