The Submillimeter Array

The Submillimeter Array is the world's first imaging interferometric telescope for submillimeter astronomy, which reveals features of the universe invisible to the human eye. The SMA, located near the summit of Maunakea, one of the best observing sites in the world, comprises eight antennas that function together as one telescope. The SMA observes a wide variety of celestial objects, including: comets and planets in the Solar system; interstellar dust grains and molecular gas, often in cold, dense clouds where stars form; debris disks where planets form around young stars; the rich chemistry of interstellar material, especially around old, evolved stars; the distribution and structure of interstellar material in the Milky Way and in other galaxies; time variable compact objects, including active galactic nuclei; and the evolution of star formation in distant galaxies throughout the history of the universe.