Otto by night

This image shows Otto, one of the two ALMA transporters, against the backdrop of star trails in the Chilean sky. Each transporter weighs 130 tonnes even while empty, but has the ability to transport a 100-tonne ALMA antenna with millimetric precision.

Without these impressive machines to carry its antennas, ALMA would be impossible. This global collaboration is the largest ground-based astronomical project in existence, and requires a combination of many different state-of-the-art technologies. These bright yellow behemoths are playing their important role in the enormous and exciting ALMA project.