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The largest digital camera in the world is now finished: "It will help observe our universe in unprecedented detail"

"Its images are so detailed that it could resolve a golf ball from around 15 miles away," said Rubin Observatory Deputy Director Aaron Roodman.

This image captures not only Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a Program of NSF’s NOIRLab, but one of the celestial specimens Rubin Observatory will observe when it comes online: the Milky Way. The bright halo of gas and stars on the left side of the image highlights the very center of the Milky Way galaxy. The dark path that cuts through this center is known as the Great Rift, because it gives the appearance that the Milky Way has been split in half, right through its center and along its radial arms. In fact, the Great Rift is caused by a shroud of dust, which blocks and scatters visible light. This dust makes the Great Rift a difficult space to observe. Fortunately,Rubin is being built to conduct the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). This survey will observe the entire visible southern sky every few nights over the course of a decade, capturing about 1000 images of the sky every night and giving us a new view of our evolving Universe. The LSST is set toprobe four areas of science, one of which is mapping the Milky Way to answer questions about its structure and formation. Once Rubin Observatory comes online in 2024, scientists will be able to access the data taken every night of operation. Rubin Observatory is a joint initiative of the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy (DOE). Once completed, Rubin will be operated jointly by NSF’s NOIRLab and DOE's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory to carry out the Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

(Wikimedia Commons:

Published by
Verónica Silveri Pazos

The largest digital camera in history is finished. Scientists and engineers at the Department of Energy's National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) announced that after more than two decades of work, the construction process of the super-technological device is complete:

After two decades of work, scientists and engineers at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and their collaborators are celebrating the completion of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) camera.

The purpose of the 3,200-megapixel camera is to help "researchers better understand dark matter, dark energy and other mysteries of our universe." It will also help researchers observe our universe in unprecedented detail":

Over ten years, it will generate an enormous trove of data  on the southern night sky that researchers will mine for new insights into the universe. That data will aid in the quest to understand dark energy, which is driving the accelerating expansion of the universe, and the hunt for dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up around 85% of the matter in the universe.

"It could resolve a golf ball about 15 miles away"

The camera called Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) "is about the size of a small car and weighs about 3,000 kilograms (3 metric tons). Its front lens measures more than five feet across – the largest lens ever made for this purpose.” SLAC Professor Aaron Roodman, deputy director of the Rubin Observatory, and camera program lead said:

Its images are so detailed that it could resolve a golf ball from around 15 miles away, while covering a swath of the sky seven times wider than the full moon. These images with billions of stars and galaxies will help unlock the secrets of the universe.

At the end of the project, the device will help explore "numerous small objects" present in our solar system. According to Rubin Observatory estimates, "the project may increase the number of known objects tenfold. This could lead to a new understanding of how our solar system formed and perhaps help identify threats from asteroids that come too close to the planet."

Željko Ivezić, Construction Director of the Rubin Observatory, said:

With the completion of the unique LSST Camera at SLAC and its imminent integration with the rest of Rubin Observatory systems in Chile, we will soon start producing the greatest movie of all time and the most informative map of the night sky ever assembled.
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