The APEX telescope in Chile has now fully integrated into the Global mm-VLBI Array (GMVA) with a successful 3mm wavelength operation. Thanks to the new 3mm receiver installed in APEX, we detected interferometric fringes between APEX and other antennas around the globe, verified through MPIfR’s correlator centre. This breakthrough was achieved during observations from 11-13 October 2024.
In the shared image, you can see the remarkable detection between APEX and the VLBA Owens Valley telescope in California—an 8,000 km leap in connectivity.
This achievement marks a new small, but for us significant chapter in high-resolution astronomical observation, allowing us to explore the universe with even greater precision. A huge congratulations to both the APEX and GMVA teams for this accomplishment!
Image: © G.F. Paraschos; GMVA, MPIfR correlator