- The Vera C. Rubin observatory published its first full resolution image
- It was captured using an ultra-powerful digital camera of 3,200 megapixels
- The telescope will scan the sky for dark matter, asteroids and the planet new
The most powerful digital camera in the world took its first photos, and they reveal the Cosmos in amazing details. Shared as part of the “First Look” campaign of the Verra C. Rubin Observatory, the composite image captures a panoramic view of the trifid nebula and lagoon – a region where new stars are formed.
The photos come from the largest digital camera ever made. With a resolution of 3,200 Mp, it is the central component of the telescope at the Rubin Observatory in Chile. By capturing a scene at around 4 to 5,000 light years from the earth, the images offer a spectacular overview of the star machinery in our universe.
The full -size image, which you can download here, is made up of 678 individual exhibitions, measuring approximately five gigapixels in total. A more in -depth examination reveals stellar clouds of dust and gas in a color and breathtaking details. More impressive than the scale, however, is the speed with which the observatory has produced the image: it only took 7.2 hours.
This makes the rubin unique among space telescopes. By working quickly and covering an ultra-large field of vision in each frame, it is capable of mapping large areas in a short time. The results are as precious scientifically as beautiful. By revealing the regions of the universe in depth, they allow researchers to advance their understanding of our cosmic environment.
All eyes in the sky
These first images mark the start of a new era in astronomy. The Rubin observatory is about to start the investigation inherited on space and time (LSST), a ten -year mission to map the night sky in unprecedented details. It is a project that could fundamentally change our understanding of the universe – not only because of what it reveals, but because of the frequency.
Unlike traditional observatories that target narrow space slices, the Rubin telescope is designed to scan the whole sky of the southern hemisphere every three nights. The dome repositions itself quickly to cover the sky, capturing the images more than once per minute for about ten hours. This regular rate will allow astronomers to detect changes more easily.
The observatory is located at the top of Cerro Pachón, a mountain peak in northern Chile. The distant location, high altitude and dry climate create conditions almost perfect for astronomy: thinner air and lack of light pollution allow the telescope to enjoy a clearer and darker night sky. This gives the Rubin observatory a large observation window.
To watch
During its test phase, it detected more than 2,000 asteroids previously unknown in just 10 hours, highlighting the potential of the telescope as a system of ON of ON for our planet.
The observatory should also play a leading role in hunting the hypothetical planet nine, a massive celestial body that some scientists believe they are hiding on the far edge of our solar system. Its powerful perspective and its scanning range make the Rubin telescope the perfect tool to identify what is hidden beyond Pluto’s orbit.
But perhaps the most ambitious objective of Rubin relates to what cannot be seen. By capturing the data of countless galaxies, the observatory will help researchers build a better image of invisible dark matter which constitutes the majority of the universe – and the mysterious dark energy which causes its expansion.
The key to the mission is the camera itself, which is the largest ever installed on a telescope. The size of a small car, it captures part of the sky equivalent to 45 complete moons in a single stroke.
During his investigation, Rubin is expected to generate more than 60 data petacts. It will be up to the world scientific community to analyze the results and decipher their secrets.
