Rubin Observatory Launches Historic Ten-Year Movie of the Southern Sky
The official launch of the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory's sky survey has been announced today. Located on Cerro Pachón in the Coquimbo region of Northern Chile, the observatory is jointly operated by NSF NOIRLab and DOE's SLAC. The facility is named in honor of astronomer Vera C. Rubin, who provided the first compelling evidence for the existence of dark matter.
The survey, known as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), will observe the southern sky approximately 800 times over its ten-year mission. The 8.4-meter Simonyi Survey Telescope at the NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory is equipped with the LSST camera, which is the largest camera ever built. The Rubin Observatory sets new global standards in many areas. Its mirror design, camera size, sensitivity, telescope speed, and computational infrastructure make it the leading facility of its kind. Data will be captured at a rate of approximately one new image every 40 seconds, providing remarkable reliability and consistency.
This announcement marks the beginning of the most comprehensive cinematic record of the universe in history. Since the release of the first Rubin images in June 2025, the observatory has begun successful operations and, beginning on February 24, 2026, has issued alerts regarding changes in the southern sky. These observations include signatures of exploding stars, known as supernovae. Another key objective is improving our understanding of the solar system and its celestial bodies. To this end, the Rubin Observatory sends relevant data to the Minor Planet Center (MPC). The Rubin Observatory's initial observations have already led to the discovery of 11,000 new asteroids.
Among the 43 recognized international teams outside the U.S. and Chile providing in-kind services in exchange for data rights are the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut (ARI), part of the Centre for Astronomy of Heidelberg University (ZAH), and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA). Both institutions are contributing to the development of software under the Vera C. Rubin Observatory In-Kind Program.
RELATED PRESS RELEASES
https://rubinobservatory.org/news/action-rubin-lsst-begins
SCIENTIFIC CONTACT
Dr. Markus Hundertmark
Centre for Astronomy of Heidelberg University (ZAH)
Astronomisches Rechen-Institut (ARI)
markus.hundertmark@uni-heidelberg.de
CONTACT FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES
Dr. Guido Thimm
Centre for Astronomy of Heidelberg University (ZAH)
thimm@uni-heidelberg.de
