The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has released its first light images, showcasing its ability to explore the universe. This milestone follows the installation of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Camera.
The LSST Camera, with a 3,200-megapixel resolution, is the largest digital camera for astronomy. Each image covers an area 45 times the size of the full moon, providing a time-lapse record of the universe.
The observatory will conduct the Legacy Survey of Space and Time over a decade, capturing the entire visible southern sky. This survey aims to catalog billions of celestial objects, including stars, galaxies, and supernovae. The first images show vast gas and dust clouds, demonstrating the observatory's ability to detect faint objects.
The observatory is a joint project funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. It is operated by NSF NOIRLab and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The unveiling of these images marks a new era in astronomy.