On Monday, June 23, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will give us our first taste of its upcoming survey of space and time. Here’s how to watch.
Stars wheel above the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which sits atop Cerro Pachón in Chile. Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory/H. Stockebrand
The National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy’s Vera C. Rubin Observatory has been under construction atop Cerro Pachón in Chile since 2015. Housing an 8.4-meter telescope coupled with a 3,200-megapixel camera, the now-completed facility will soon undertake the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), a 10-year survey promising unprecedented insight into the cosmos. As it does so, the observatory will produce a whopping 20 terabytes of data every night — an astronomical treasure trove ripe for mining for decades to come.Â
But first, the public will get a taste of what this new astronomical workhorse can do when the observatory releases its first images on Monday, June 23, offering a glimpse of its capabilities before beginning its full scientific mission. The ultra-high-definition images promise detail and depth that will show off the stunning capabilities of the largest digital camera ever constructed. Â
The images will be shown as part of a press conference beginning at 11 A.M. EDT. You can tune in to watch the event live on the National Science Foundation’s YouTube Channel or catch the feed embedded below:Â
And if you’d like to watch the unveiling with others, facilities including planetariums, observatories, and museums around the world are hosting public watch parties you can attend. Visit the Rubin Observatory’s first look watch party page to find out if there’s an event near you.
These images are just the first step on a journey through space and time, as this much-anticipated and state-of-the-art facility uncovers new secrets of the cosmos, from our own solar system to the nature of dark matter and dark energy. This is one unveiling you won’t want to miss.
