Latest news with #BrianStone
CNET
03-07-2025
- Science
- CNET
See the First Breathtaking Celestial Images From the Vera C. Rubin Observatory
A sneak preview of the first batch of deep space imagery from the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile made its way to news sites and social media last week, followed by a livestream event. "(The Rubin Observatory is) going to build the greatest time-lapse movie of the cosmos ever made," the observatory said in a post. The observatory is named for the American scientist widely credited for finding some of the first evidence of dark matter, with the project being funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy's Office of Science. The scientists and officials from the NSF and DOE participated in a news conference and Q&A about the findings last week. You can watch the stream below. Millions of galaxies, big images Though the livestream was plagued by a few technical issues, it still offered some context on what data is being captured at the Rubin Observatory and why. "Starting today, our ability to understand dark matter, dark energy and planetary defense will grow even faster than ever before," said Brian Stone, the NSF's chief of staff. The observatory's 3,200-megapixel camera is used for a full-sky scan that happens every three to four days. Stunning images that the observatory shares are only a fraction of what is being captured, in some cases showing only 2 percent of the full view, which would require 400 HDTVs to show. One image can capture 10 million galaxies. Closer to Earth, astronomers have discovered 1 million asteroids in our solar system and expect to discover 5 million more in the next few years.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
First close-up of "cotton candy" nebula captured by world's largest telescope
The world's largest telescope captured a deep-space nebula — an interstellar cloud of gas and dust that can produce new stars — in stunning detail, providing the first close-up view to date of the cosmic phenomenon. Scientists recently unveiled images from Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a new station located in the Andes Mountains of Chile and funded by the United States, which houses a powerful telescope containing the biggest digital camera on the planet. Its precision allows the telescope to peer far into space, with galaxies tens of millions of light-years away from Earth among the subjects of the observatory's debut portraits of cosmos. Also pictured is the "cotton candy" nebula, which earned that nickname because of its bright pink and blue pattern. Officially, the swirling mass is called the Trifid Nebula, and it exists about 5,000 light-years from Earth, according to the Rubin Observatory. Nearby is the Lagoon Nebula, another colorful cloud, which is located about 4,000 light-years away and appears alongside Trifid in the observatory's latest images. Both are in the constellation Sagittarius, according to the Rubin Observatory. Zoomed-in views of the nebulae are seen in a video shared by the observatory, showcasing the Trifid and Lagoon formations at a scale never seen before. The composite image was created from more than 678 different exposures taken over a 7-hour period by the camera that powers the observatory's massive telescope. The telescope's long-term mission is set to begin later this year, when it will perform nightly scans of the sky for the next decade in an effort to learn more about the early universe and some of its properties that still are not well-understood, like dark energy. Brian Stone, the chief of staff at the National Science Foundation who currently performs the duties of the foundation's director, said in a statement that the Rubin Observatory is expected to "capture more information about our Universe than all optical telescopes throughout history combined." "Through this remarkable scientific facility, we will explore many cosmic mysteries, including the dark matter and dark energy that permeate the Universe," his statement said. Watch: Senate passes Trump budget bill after Vance casts tie-breaking vote A deeper look at Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" migrant detention facility H.R. McMaster on impact of Israel, U.S. strikes on Iran
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Behold! World's Largest Camera Snaps Millions of Galaxies in First Pics
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has just dropped its very first images. Expected to revolutionize our understanding of the Universe, the new eye on the sky hasn't disappointed. For 10 hours, the US National Science Foundation and Department of Energy facility stared deep into the cosmos, using its powerful camera to record in near-ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared wavelengths. The result is a tantalizing and exciting set of observations that bode well for the years to come. "NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory will capture more information about our Universe than all optical telescopes throughout history combined," says Brian Stone, acting director of the NSF. "Through this remarkable scientific facility, we will explore many cosmic mysteries, including the dark matter and dark energy that permeate the Universe." Rubin's first mission is a 10-year survey of the southern sky called the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). Every few days, it will observe the entire sky, recording each section around 800 times using the telescope's 3,200-megapixel camera (the largest in the world) to effectively compile an unprecedented 10-year timelapse of the Universe. Related: The mission is designed to capture anything that moves, flashes, or pulses – a remit that includes asteroids, comets, supernovae, and pulsars; from taking an asteroid inventory of the Solar System to cataloguing exploding stars billions of light-years away. In its first images, Rubin demonstrates some of that range, recording an extremely detailed, massive image of the Milky Way Trifid and Lagoon nebulae, two dense molecular clouds bubbling with hidden star formation. In 7.2 hours, the telescope took 678 individual images for a final mosaic coming in at just under 5 gigapixels. You should go have a play with the interactive zoomable image – it's a delight. In another image, the observatory showcases its ability to zoom in on a patch of sky, revealing around 10 million galaxies in a tightly focused field of view around the Virgo cluster. There's a zoomable version here. Finally, the Rubin team revealed the Solar System asteroids the telescope was able to observe – including a whopping 2,104 orbiting bits of rock we've never seen before, in just over 10 hours of observations. Annually, about 20,000 new asteroids are discovered by all other ground-based telescopes combined – Rubin looks to blow them out of the water. None of the asteroids discovered by Rubin pose a hazard to Earth, but the discoveries show what a powerful tool the observatory will be in Earth defense against hazardous space rocks. "Rubin Observatory is the first of its kind: its mirror design, camera size and sensitivity, telescope speed, and computing infrastructure are each in an entirely new category," the NSF and DOE say. "With Rubin data we will all understand our Universe better, chronicle its evolution, delve into the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter, and reveal answers to questions we have yet to imagine." Excelsior. 2032 'City-Killer' Impact Threatens Earth's Satellites, Study Finds Check It Out! Rubin Observatory Reveals First Glimpses of Stunning Space Images Fast Radio Bursts Reveal Where The Universe's Missing Matter Is Hiding
India Today
24-06-2025
- Science
- India Today
World's largest digital camera unveils dazzling first images of the universe
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, perched atop Cerro Pachon in Chile, has released the first breathtaking images from the world's largest digital camera, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the initial 'first look' shots, unveiled Monday, showcase vibrant scenes of nebulas, stars, and galaxies—heralding a new era in astronomical observatory's 3,200-megapixel camera, the largest ever constructed, captured the colorful Trifid and Lagoon nebulas—vast clouds of gas and dust located thousands of light-years from Earth in the constellation These images, composed from hundreds of exposures taken over just seven hours, reveal intricate details and previously hidden structures within these stellar nurseries. The LSST Camera at the heart of Rubin Observatory captures extremely fine features in distant galaxies, stars, and other celestial objects. (Photo: VCRO) Also featured are dazzling spiral galaxies within the Virgo Cluster, including two bright blue spirals, and a mosaic of millions of stars and galaxies, some never before by the US National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, the $810 million observatory is set to scan the southern sky every three to four nights for the next decade, aiming to image 20 billion galaxies and discover countless new asteroids and celestial phenomena. advertisementIn its first test observations alone, the Rubin Observatory identified thousands of asteroids, including several near-Earth objects, none of which pose a threat to our planet. Rubin will generate approximately 20 terabytes of data per night, plus an additional 15 petabyte catalog database. (Photo: VCRO) Named after pioneering astronomer Vera Rubin—whose work provided the first compelling evidence for dark matter—the observatory is poised to deepen our understanding of the universe's most elusive mysteries, including dark energy and the nature of cosmic evolution.'The Rubin Observatory will capture more information about our universe than all optical telescopes throughout history combined,' said Brian Stone, acting director of the National Science Foundation. The amount of data gathered by Rubin Observatory in its first year alone will be greater than that collected by all other optical observatories combined. (Photo: VCRO) Scientists and astronomers worldwide are eagerly anticipating the observatory's full scientific mission, which promises to transform our view of the cosmos and inspire new generations of more images are released, the world will watch as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory continues its groundbreaking journey, mapping the universe in stunning detail and revealing the ever-changing tapestry of the night sky- Ends
Digital Trends
24-06-2025
- Science
- Digital Trends
Check out the first stunning images from the world's largest digital camera
The NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has unveiled its first images, showcasing the astonishing capabilities of its groundbreaking 3,200-megapixel digital camera, the largest in the world. The new $800 million observatory took a decade to build and represents a significant step forward in astronomical research and exploration. Situated at 8,684 feet on Cerro Pachón, near the edge of the Atacama Desert, the facility benefits from a dry and remarkably stable atmosphere, conditions that make it well-suited for astronomical observation. Recommended Videos The stunning images, captured during a trial phase that began a couple of months ago, include breathtaking views of the Trifid Nebula and the Lagoon Nebula, both stellar nurseries located several thousand light-years away. The images were created from 678 separate exposures taken across seven hours, revealing intricate details and previously invisible features in vibrant colors. 'NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory will capture more information about our universe than all optical telescopes throughout history combined,' said Brian Stone, the acting NSF director. 'Through this remarkable scientific facility, we will explore many cosmic mysteries, including the dark matter and dark energy that permeate the universe.' The Rubin Observatory is set to conduct the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), a 10-year endeavor that's expected to get underway later this year. The ambitious project aims to map the entire southern sky every three to four nights. The tantalizing result will be an ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of the universe, yielding potentially billions of scientific discoveries. 'The images will reveal asteroids and comets, pulsating stars, supernova explosions, far-off galaxies and perhaps cosmic phenomena that no one has seen before,' the Rubin Observatory said. Across its first 10 hours of observation, the Rubin Observatory has already made notable discoveries, including more than 2,100 previously undetected asteroids, at the same time capturing millions of galaxies and Milky Way stars. Sandrine Thomas, deputy director of Rubin Construction and associate director of Rubin Observatory for Rubin Summit Operation, said her team was 'thrilled' to share the observatory's first images with the world. 'It's a proud moment for our whole team,' she said. 'While we still have a few important months of commissioning and testing ahead, everything we learn now brings us closer to full science operations later this year. Today is just the beginning.'
