Announcement: Vera C. Rubin Observatory

6 November 2024: Project and Science News Rubin achieved a historic milestone on October 24th, 2024, when the summit team captured the first on-sky data with Rubin’s Commissioning Camera and transferred it from Chile to the US Data Facility at SLAC. This successful end-to-end engineering test is the product of decades of dedication and innovation by Rubin Project members and the community. Read the details in Rubin’s public announcement on rubinobservatory.org. Additional visuals are available in the Gallery. During the periods of on-sky commissioning using the Commissioning Camera (ComCam) and LSST Camera (LSSTCam), Rubin Observatory plans to share brief technical updates on the progress of on-sky commissioning activities with the Rubin science community on a roughly weekly cadence. These posts will complement existing communications products. Posts will appear on the LSST Community forum in the News category with the commissioning-updates tag and on the LSSTC Slack workspace in the new #commissioning-updates channel. Rubin …

28 October 2024: NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory passed its first end-to-end engineering test using a low-resolution testing camera known as the Commissioning Camera. The Commissioning Camera will later be replaced with the much higher resolution LSST Camera, the largest digital camera ever built, which Rubin Observatory will use to conduct the most comprehensive data-gathering mission in the history of astronomy — the 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Rubin is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. The mood in the observatory control room was electric as Rubin’s first on-sky data were captured by the test camera and transferred successfully from the observatory in Chile to the U.S. Data Facility at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California. This moment was the culmination of decades of hard work by the Rubin team. Those present in Chile gathered at the base of the Simonyi Telescope …

3 October 2024: Project and Science News The seventh in a series of Rubin science releases showcasing Rubin’s upcoming contributions to various areas of astronomy and astrophysics is now available. Read (in English or Spanish) and share “Rubin Observatory’s Unparalleled Vision Will Revolutionize Multi-Messenger Astronomy,” on rubinobservatory.org A successful LSST@Europe6 meeting took place on the island of La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, from September 16-20. A notable number of early-career scientists participated in the meeting, a good indicator that Rubin is generating excitement and will have a tremendous impact on the next decade of scientific research. A particular focus of discussions was on synergies between Rubin and other projects such as ESA’s Euclid, as well as with In-kind contribution teams based in Europe and globally. A group photo from the meeting is available in the Gallery. Rubin Observatory has updated the statement regarding increased deployment of satellite constellations at this link. In early …

11 September 2024: Project and Science News Daylight Saving Time started in Chile on September 8th, so Chile is now four hours ahead of official Project time (PST). Be aware that meeting times may change — organizers can help confirm start times. The Summit team re-installed the Rubin Commissioning Camera (ComCam) on the telescope on August 23rd. ComCam has previously been on the telescope, but was removed before the installation of the secondary mirror (M2) in late July. ComCam — a smaller (144 megapixel), simpler version of the full 3200-megapixel LSST Camera — is being used for testing and commissioning activities prior to installation of the LSST Camera, anticipated to happen late this year. In the coming weeks the summit team will install the primary/tertiary (M1M3) mirror cell with its coated glass mirror, enabling ComCam to produce the first astronomical data from the Simonyi Survey Telescope. Watch a video of the installation on …

23 August 2024: Project and Science News Rubin is planning to host media visits to the summit facility on Cerro Pachón during a two-month period starting in early 2025. Members of the media wishing to visit the observatory are encouraged to submit this media visit interest form to assist with our planning. This FAQ page is a helpful resource, additional questions should be directed to communications-team@lists.lsst.org The Rubin Communications Team has recently seen an increase in media requests, which will continue to build as we get closer to releasing the first Rubin images with a big media splash in 2025. If you’re interested in joining a pool of enthusiastic, media-trained individuals (both Rubin staff and worldwide science community members) that we can connect with reporters/journalists for interviews please fill out the Rubin media contact volunteer form. We also plan to offer opportunities for basic media training including talking points and key messages, interview …

7 August 2024: Project & Science News The Rubin Community Workshop (Rubin 2024) took place July 22-26 at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA and was a big success. This year’s meeting was fully hybrid, with about 200 people attending in person and an additional ~250 participating in virtual sessions. Read a summary of the meeting at this link. The group photo is available for download here. The summit team achieved a major milestone on July 24th with the installation of the glass secondary mirror assembly on the telescope mount. This marks the successful integration of the first permanent component of the telescope’s optical system. The Rubin team issued a press release to announce the event. The first Data Management (DM) Standards Review was held at SLAC on July 29-30. The review committee commended the Rubin DM team on their strategy and approach to meeting requirements, and initiated productive discussions with …

23 July 2024: Project & Science News The Rubin Community Workshop at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is underway this week in Menlo Park, CA, with approximately 240 Rubin staff, affiliates, and members of the Rubin science community attending in person. More than 250 additional people are participating virtually in this fully hybrid meeting. Announcements and reports from the meeting will be included in the next Digest. The sixth in a series of Rubin science releases showcasing Rubin’s upcoming contributions to astronomy and astrophysics is now available. Read (in English or Spanish) and share “Rubin Observatory Will Detect Thousands of Elusive Brown Dwarfs, Unlocking Milky Way Mysteries,” at rubinobservatory.org. We are saddened to inform you that our Rubin colleague and cheerful friend, Darko Jevremovic from the Belgrade Observatory, passed away unexpectedly on July 11th, 2024 at the age of 56. Darko led a group of Serbian astronomers to join the Project as early as …

5 July 2024: Project and Science News In-person registration has closed for the Rubin Community Workshop at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA on July 22-26, with more than 200 people signed up. Registration for virtual participation is still available on the meeting website, as well as a detailed meeting agenda. The first LSST@LATAM meeting, sponsored by the University of La Serena, was held June 10-14. The meeting brought together approximately 100 Rubin staff, researchers and students from across Latin America in-person, as well as additional attendees online. Participants were provided updates on Rubin construction and operations; learned about the Rubin EPO program and Citizen Science opportunities; heard from each of the Rubin Science collaborations; and enjoyed several contributed talks. Additionally, attendees were treated to a day-long visit to Rubin Observatory. Despite an earthquake, and a significant rain event that resulted in the University closing and the conference going virtual, the …

21 June 2024: A new fund from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for the development of Chilean astronomy was distributed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) to the University of Chile as part of an agreement for the upcoming start of operations of Vera C. Rubin Observatory, now under construction in the Coquimbo Region in Chile. Rubin Observatory is a Program of NSF NOIRLab, which, along with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, will cooperatively operate Rubin. Rubin Observatory will begin science operations in late 2025. According to Rubin Observatory Director of Operations, Robert Blum, this initial funding exceeds US $900,000. The fund will be distributed over time with an annual delivery of US $850,000 while Rubin is in operation, with an annual increase of 3%. Scientific Director of AURA in Chile and Deputy Director of NSF NOIRLab, Stuartt Corder, explained, “Rubin has a very wide field of view, which …

12 June 2024: Project and Science News Registration for the Rubin Community Workshop at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA on July 22-26 is still open (until June 21 or when in-person capacity is reached). Posters are also being accepted until June 14th, details about all aspects of the meeting can be found on the meeting website. Rubin is celebrating Pride Month in June! Watch the #inclusion channel on Rubin Slack for LGBTQIA+ opportunities and events offered to the Rubin Community, and follow Rubin social media accounts to engage with upcoming Pride posts. On the summit, the Rubin Commissioning Camera (ComCam) was removed from the Telescope Mount Assembly (TMA) during the last week of May and moved to the maintenance floor on the third level of the Observatory. All utilities except Dynalene cooling have now been reconnected and the computers used to operate ComCam and the attached refrigeration Pathfinder unit have …

29 May 2024: Project and Science News The LSST Camera arrived at the Rubin summit facility May 16th after shipping from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The camera traveled by air-ride equipped transport vehicle from SLAC to San Francisco International Airport, where it was loaded on a 747 cargo plane for the flight to Santiago, Chile. Another transport vehicle drove the camera to the base of Cerro Pachón after the plane landed early the morning of May 15th, with the final careful drive up to the summit taking place the next day. Details, images, and video are available in this press release. Congratulations to the LSST Camera team and the many other individuals who contributed to this outstanding achievement! The block agenda for the Rubin Community Workshop to be held at SLAC on July 22-26 is now available on the meeting website. Register soon and secure your spot with payment before the cap on …

14 May 2024: Project and Science News Rubin’s 8.4-meter Primary/Tertiary Mirror (M1M3) was successfully coated with protected silver on April 27th, a major milestone for the Project that Rubin announced with a press release including images and timelapse video, and an impactful social media campaign. Read the details about the coating team’s achievement on rubinobservatory.org, and see a fun group photo with the coated mirror in the Gallery. Reminder to register for the Rubin Community Workshop at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA on July 22-26. Payment is required to secure your spot, and in-person registration will be capped at 250 in-person attendees. The room block at the SLAC guest house expires on May 13th — if you’re unable to secure a room there, information about alternate lodging is on the meeting website. The LSST Camera team at SLAC have been busy preparing to ship the LSST Camera, and all support …

14 May 2024: For many astronomy enthusiasts, few things instill as much excitement as visiting the U.S. National Science Foundation's world-class telescopes and research centers that are part of NSF NOIRLab. From the remote and rugged mountains of Chile to the towering slopes of Maunakea, from the rocky terrain of Kitt Peak to NOIRLab Headquarters in Tucson, Arizona, NOIRLab facilities span continents and hemispheres to bring the wonders of the Universe to the public. Getting to these remote locations, however, can be difficult, even for the most adventurous travelers. That is why NOIRLab has brought the experience to you! NOIRLab is proud to announce the launch of Version 2 of its comprehensive virtual tours, loaded with interactive elements that give special behind-the-scenes access to the facilities and diverse communities that make astronomy research possible. The entire suite consists of eight different locations, featuring panoramic images from various areas near the summit and base …

7 May 2024: What better way to visualize planetary and stellar data than projected on a giant, animated sphere? Science On a Sphere is an educational tool developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help illustrate concepts of planetary science to people of all ages. A Science On a Sphere system has been installed at the U.S. National Science Foundation Kitt Peak National Observatory, a program of NSF NOIRLab, and the first NOIRLab produced Science On a Sphere show is now available for free download to be used on any Science On a Sphere compatible system. The Sun: Our Living Star explores the profound role of our Sun as a living entity that sustains life and energy on Earth. It delves into how the Sun influences our planet’s weather, ecosystems, and the changing seasons, while also delving into historical perspectives and key scientific revelations about our Solar System. Featuring high-resolution …

23 April 2024: Project and Science News Don’t forget to register for the Rubin Community Workshop at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA on July 22-26. Payment is required to secure your spot, and in-person registration will be capped at 250 in-person attendees. The SLAC guest house is also filling up fast, so consider booking your lodging soon as well (link available after payment). Details and the registration link are on the meeting website. The fifth in a series of Rubin science releases showcasing Rubin’s upcoming contributions to various areas of astronomy and astrophysics is now available. Read (in English or Spanish) and share “Rubin Observatory Will Reveal Dark Matter’s Ghostly Disruptions of Stellar Streams” at rubinobservatory.org. In the first week of April, groups from across the Rubin Project took part in an operations rehearsal, taking both real (from the AuxTel) and synthetic (imSim simulations read out from the ComCam DAQ) …

4 April 2024: Project and Science News Reminder: On April 7th, Daylight Saving Time will end in Chile and clocks will fall one hour back. After two decades of work, the 3200-megapixel LSST Camera has officially been completed at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA. This huge Rubin milestone was announced with a press release issued by SLAC on April 3rd. Congratulations to the Camera team and the many others who contributed to this achievement. The second LSST Camera explainer video in SLAC’s series was shared via social media in mid-March and is available on YouTube. The video features Travis Lange, Deputy Project Manager & Camera Integration Manager for the LSST Camera. On the summit, the glass blank for Rubin’s 8.4-meter primary/tertiary mirror (M1M3) was moved onto the mirror cell — the mirror’s steel support structure — for the first time on March 20th (photos here). A team from the Richard …

20 March 2024: Project and Science News On March 7th, Rubin’s 8.4-meter Primary/Tertiary Mirror (M1M3) was moved from a storage building on the summit to the maintenance floor inside the observatory for the first time. With this move, M1M3 is officially “home” inside the main observatory building, where it will remain for the rest of Construction and throughout the ten-year survey. More details, photos, and a video of the move are available in this news post. A nine-person team from the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, where M1M3 was cast, ground, and polished, will be on-site next week to perform the next big move of the mirror onto the steel support cell. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has released a new explainer video for Rubin Observatory and the LSST Camera featuring Aaron Roodman, Deputy Director of Rubin Construction for SLAC. The video is posted on SLAC’s social media channels, including Instagram and LinkedIn. Registration …

14 March 2024: The IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS), which is co-hosted by NSF’s NOIRLab and the SKAO, has released a paper entitled Call to Protect the Dark and Quiet Sky from Harmful Interference by Satellite Constellations that states its recommendations for the mitigation of satellite constellations’ impact on astronomy. The document is the culmination of 18 months’ work by a multidisciplinary group of experts, including astronomers, industry representatives and policy advisors, led by Gyula I. G. Józsa of MPIfR, and represents the view of the IAU Centre on what steps should now be taken to address the issue. The 30-page document summarises the current understanding of the effects of satellite constellations on professional optical and radio astronomy, as well as humanity’s connection with the night sky, including its cultural significance and its importance to amateur astronomers. It proposes a range of …

12 March 2024: Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s 8.4-meter combined primary-tertiary mirror is officially home after being moved to the main observatory’s maintenance floor, where it will remain for the rest of the construction phase and throughout Rubin’s ten-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time. The mirror, which is still an uncoated glass blank, arrived on Cerro Pachón, the mountain in Chile where the observatory is located, in May 2019. Since then it’s been safely packed in a transport box and stored in a building outside the observatory. On 7 March the summit team loaded that box onto a specialized truck to make the short, but important, 600-meter (650-yard) journey from the storage building to the observatory. That wasn’t the only major move on the summit that week. To make room for the glass mirror in the observatory, the transport team first had to remove the 8.4-meter steel stand-in mirror. The successful transport of …

11 March 2024: The astronomy fair AstroDay Chile 2024, organized by NSF’s NOIRLab and AURA, will kick off the celebrations of the National Day of Astronomy in Chile on Friday 15 March. The fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Gabriela Mistral Regional Library in La Serena. From paper rocket construction to a feature of the world-acclaimed production Big Astronomy, there will be a diverse selection of fun and educational activities for the whole family. AstroDay Chile is one the most popular events for astronomy in Chile. In attendance will be professionals from observatories such as Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory and Vera C. Rubin Observatory, both of them Programs of NSF’s NOIRLab, International Gemini Observatory, which is operated by NSF’s NOIRLab, the Las Campanas Observatory and many more, offering the public a unique opportunity to learn about the latest scientific discoveries and advances from the observatories in Chile, and …