Rubin observatory maps universe with 3,200 MP camera

The Milky Way arches over the Vera C. Rubin Observatory site in Chile. Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory

The NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory unveiled its first images today, showcasing a 3,200-megapixel digital camera that promises to capture more data about our universe than all optical telescopes throughout history combined, according to Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. In 10 hours of test observations from its mountaintop perch in Chile, the 8.4-meter telescope has already discovered 2,104 previously unknown asteroids and captured images of 10 million galaxies. Over the next decade, it will map an expected 20 billion galaxies while probing the dark matter and dark energy that comprise about 95% of the universe.

“These first exquisite images made public today remind us of the full meaning of words like awe and wonder, and the limits of our language,” said Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, at a press conference at the National Academy of Sciences.

LSST Project Manager Victor Krabbendam expressed gratitude in the press conference: “I want to thank both [NSF and DOE] and some early donors for trusting us with over $800 million to make this ambitious project a reality.”

Star trails trace celestial motion above the Rubin Observatory dome. Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Two decades in the making

The observatory represents more than 20 years of development through a collaboration between the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Located at the summit of Cerro Pachón in Chile, the facility benefits from dry air and dark skies suited for astronomical observation.

“The NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory was a project long in the making, with many moving parts,” said Harriet Kung, acting director of DOE’s Office of Science, in the press conference. “The DOE’s Office of Science was proud to lead the construction of the LSST Camera, the largest digital camera ever built. It’s the size of a small car, but twice as heavy.” The camera boasts a 3,200 megapixel resolution. Scientists and engineers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory designed and fabricated it with assistance from other DOE national laboratories and international partners.

This is one of the first images from the Vera Rubin telescope. Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Early discoveries

While ground and space-based observatories collectively discover about 20,000 asteroids annually, Rubin Observatory is expected to find millions of new asteroids within its first two years. Among its initial 2,104 asteroid discoveries were seven near-Earth asteroids, none of which pose a danger to Earth.

“We are not particularly designed for Near-Earth Objects, but because we look at everything, we will be extremely efficient at discovering Near-Earth Objects,” explained Željko Ivezić, Observatory Scientist. “As soon as we have a plausible discovery, all our data will be, on a daily basis, sent to the Minor Planet Center at Harvard, which is the world’s clearinghouse for these observations.”

The 8.4-meter telescope inside the Rubin Observatory. Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Honoring a dark matter pioneer

The observatory honors astronomer Vera C. Rubin, who provided evidence for the existence of dark matter in the 1970s. Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, connected the facility’s mission to humanity’s long-standing curiosity about the cosmos.

“Long before Aristotle demonstrated that the Earth was round, even before Abraham looked up at the stars and saw the promise of God, humanity has peered into the skies in reverence, seeking to understand our place in the cosmos,” Kratsios said. “We believe the work of this observatory will help us find long-sought answers and ask new and better questions.”

The Rubin Observatory telescope mount system. Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Technical Capabilities

The observatory’s unique design enables rapid sky surveys. Each image covers an area of sky equal to 45 full moons with its 3,200-megapixel resolution. To display just one Rubin image at full size would require 400 Ultra High Definition televisions, according to observatory officials.

The observatory combines several technical innovations. One is an 8.4-meter mirror system where primary and tertiary mirrors form one surface, manufactured over seven years at the University of Arizona. The 6,000-pound (2,700 kg) digital camera has a 9.6 square degree field of view. The Vera Rubin observatory can capture 30-second exposures covering 45 full moons worth of sky.

“No other large telescope can move like this,” Ivezić noted during the presentation The telescope can move to a new position and stabilize in just five seconds, compared to the 10 minutes typical of other observatories.

“When you want to move that amount of mass very quickly and be stable, you can’t have a very long telescope; otherwise the top wobbles,” explained Sandrine Thomas, Deputy Director and Telescope Scientist. “The light cannot go a long way before it loses focus, and that creates a lot of challenges.”

The facility will scour a swath of the Southern Hemisphere sky every night, covering the entire visible Southern sky every three to four nights. This novel approach combines its massive 8.4-meter telescope with the world’s largest digital camera.

The Legacy Survey of Space and Time is scheduled to begin in late 2025 or in early 2026. First light for scientific observations is set for July 4, 2025. To learn more about Rubin Observatory and explore citizen science opportunities through partners like Zooniverse, visit the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory website.

The LSST Camera, the world’s largest digital camera at 3,200 megapixels. Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory