Very Large Array
Close-up of NRAO Very Large Array
The Very Large Array (VLA) is an astronomical radio observatory that consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin, fifty miles west of Socorro, New Mexico (USA). The observatory is part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).
Each antenna has a diameter of 27 meters. The antennae can be moved along the arms of a Y-shaped pattern, allowing interferometry with maximum baseline of 36 kilometers; there are four commonly used configurations. The highest angular resolution that can be reached is about 0.05 arcseconds.