Introduction to the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, situated atop a mountain in the Chilean Andes, is a state-of-the-art telescope that has been in development for nearly 25 years. It is set to unveil its first images on Monday, June 23, and the public can witness this milestone event in real-time.

Features of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

The observatory boasts the largest digital camera ever built for astronomy, with a car-sized, 3.2-gigapixel camera designed to capture ultra-high-definition images and videos of the cosmos. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) oversee the telescope, which will be used to display Rubin’s first images to the public and screen one of the observatory’s high-resolution time-lapse "movies" of the visible sky during the event.

Participating in the Event

To participate in the event, individuals can tune into a livestream or attend one of the in-person watch parties at museums, universities, and planetariums around the world. The observatory will begin livestreaming the event at 11 a.m. ET, and viewers can watch it online. Additionally, an interactive map on the observatory’s website can be used to find a watch party near you.

Construction and Science Operations

The construction of the Rubin observatory is nearing completion, marking the beginning of its ambitious science operations. Later this year, Rubin will launch the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), an unprecedented decade-long survey of the night sky. This endeavor will produce 60 petabytes of data, helping scientists uncover the true natures of dark matter and dark energy, catalog the solar system, explore the changing sky, and understand the structure and function of the Milky Way galaxy.

Telescope Capabilities

The Rubin observatory will use its 27.6-foot (8.4-meter) Simonyi Survey telescope, featuring a unique three-mirror design that includes the largest convex mirror ever made, to observe the cosmos on an automated schedule. Each 30-second exposure will cover an area about 45 times the size of the full moon. The enormous LSST camera will capture wide-field images and stitch them together to create a complete view of the southern sky every three nights.

Data Processing and Analysis

Dedicated computer facilities will process Rubin’s data in real-time and issue global alerts of changes in the sky within minutes of detection. The observatory’s findings will be funneled into a massive archive, vastly increasing the amount of data available to scientists.

Predicted Discoveries

Researchers estimate that Rubin could triple the number of known near-Earth objects (NEOs) from about 38,000 to 127,000, detect ten times more trans-Neptunian objects than currently cataloged, and provide colorful, detailed observations of more than 5 million main-belt asteroids. Papers describing these predictions and the software used to make them are available on the preprint server arXiv.

Legacy and Impact

The Rubin observatory will carry on the legacy of its namesake, astronomer Vera Rubin, who helped prove the existence of dark matter and published over 100 scientific papers. Like Rubin the astronomer, the Rubin observatory will help usher the field into a new era of exploration and discovery. With its cutting-edge capabilities, Rubin’s first images are sure to dazzle, marking the beginning of this observatory’s mission to map the cosmos in unprecedented detail and unlock new insights into the secrets of the universe.