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The mood at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory was “electric” as Rubin’s first on-sky data were captured by the test camera and successfully transferred from the observatory in Chile to the US National Laboratory’s Data Facility. SLAC accelerator in California.

Successfully passing its first end-to-end engineering test using a low-resolution test chamber known as the Commissioning Chamber demonstrates that the Rubin Observatory now has a complete and working telescope.

Light from the stars traveled directly through the telescope’s optics and was then captured by Rubin’s commissioning camera, then appearing on Rubin’s teams computer screen as a digital image.

The commissioning camera was designed to be physically the same size as the planned LSST camera, but the detector itself is about 20 times smaller: just 144 megapixels compared to the 3200 megapixel science camera. The test chamber will allow Rubin’s team to check key system components and troubleshoot issues before the actual chamber is installed that will be used for science.

The commissioning camera will soon be replaced by the Large Synoptic Survey Camera (LSST), the largest digital camera ever built, which the Rubin Observatory will use to conduct the most comprehensive data-gathering mission in the history of astronomy – 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Rubin is funded by the US National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

After two decades of planningTHE LSST landed in Chile in May of this year. The camera will be mounted on the telescope in early 2025 and after a six-month commissioning period,

This incredibly important step brings us closer to the start of Rubin’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time, which will transform scientists’ ability to explore the cosmos.

The process of taking Rubin’s first data with the commissioning camera began well before sunset, with the team preparing the telescope, dome and mirrors.

They were busy making twilight calibrations during sunset, then pointed the telescopes at a bright star to confirm pointing and focus. At 21:53 local time in Chile, with a completely dark sky, the team programmed the commissioning camera to take a 30-second exposure.

According to the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, named after the female astronomer who discovered dark matter, this successful experiment: “It will revolutionize our quest to explore the cosmos. Rubin will create the ultimate film of the night sky using the largest camera ever built – repeatedly scanning the sky over a decade to create ultra-wide, high-definition time-lapse footage.

“This unique film will bring the night sky to life, offering a treasure trove of discoveries: asteroids and comets, pulsating stars and supernova explosions. With the Rubin data, we will all better understand our Universe, chronicle its evolution, explore the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter, and reveal answers to questions we cannot yet imagine.”

Want to look at the stars? Take a look at our guides to the best telescopes for astrophotographyTHE the best camera for astrophotographyand the best lenses for astrophotography.