Editing Submillimeter Array (section)

== Science with the SMA ==

The SMA is a multi-purpose instrument which can be used to observe diverse celestial phenomena. The SMA excels at observations of dust and gas with temperatures only a few tens of [[kelvin]]s above [[absolute zero]]. Objects with such temperatures typically emit the bulk of their radiation at wavelengths between a few hundred micrometers and a few millimeters, which is the wavelength range in which the SMA can observe. Commonly observed classes of objects include star-forming [[molecular clouds]] in our own and other galaxies, highly [[redshift]]ed galaxies, evolved stars, and the [[Galactic Center]]. Occasionally, bodies in the Solar System, such as [[planet]]s, [[asteroid]]s, [[comet]]s and [[natural satellite|moons]], are observed.

The SMA has been used to discover that [[Pluto]] is {{convert|10|K-change|0|lk=in}} cooler than expected.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/press/2006/pr200601.html |title=A planet colder than it should be |work=Harvard.edu |date=2006-01-03 |access-date=2008-11-25}}</ref> It was the first radio telescope to resolve Pluto and Charon as separate
objects.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Sub-Arcsecond Scale Imaging of the Pluto/Charon Binary System at 1.4 mm |journal=Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society |first1=Mark A |last1=Gurwell |first2=Bryan J |last2=Butler |volume=37 |page=743 |date=August 2005 |bibcode=2005DPS....37.5501G}}</ref>

The SMA is a part of the [[Event Horizon Telescope]], which observes nearby supermassive black holes with an angular resolution comparable to the size of the object's [[event horizon]] and which produced the [[Event Horizon Telescope#Messier 87*|first image of a black hole]].