Latest news with #USNationalScienceFoundation
Irish Examiner
8 hours ago
- Science
- Irish Examiner
Largest digital camera ever built reveals its first shots of the universe
The largest digital camera ever built released its first shots of the universe on Monday — including colourful nebulas, stars and galaxies. The Vera C Rubin Observatory, located on a mountaintop in Chile, was built to take a deeper look at the night sky, covering hidden corners. Funded by the US National Science Foundation and US Department of Energy, it will survey the southern sky for the next 10 years. An image provided by the NSF-DOE Vera C Rubin Observatory (NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory via AP) The observatory's first look features the vibrant Trifid and Lagoon nebulas located thousands of light-years from Earth. A light-year is nearly six trillion miles. A gaggle of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster were also captured, including two bright blue spirals. The observatory hopes to image 20 billion galaxies and discover new asteroids and other celestial objects. The effort is named after astronomer Vera Rubin, who offered the first tantalising evidence that a mysterious force called dark matter might be lurking in the universe. Researchers hope the observatory's discerning camera may yield clues about this elusive entity along with another called dark energy.
Broadcast Pro
a day ago
- Science
- Broadcast Pro
Project Kuiper and NSF sign satellite coordination agreement
Project Kuiper, Amazons satellite internet network, has signed an agreement with the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to support both the expansion of global broadband access and the advancement of astronomical science. The coordination agreement establishes clear protocols and processes to ensure Project Kuiper's satellite constellation can deliver on its mission to bring fast, reliable internet to customers and communities around the world, while also minimising interference with astronomical observations. This balanced approach recognises that both connectivity and scientific discovery represent crucial priorities for technological advancement and human knowledge. The agreement builds upon months of technical collaboration between Kuiper and teams at the NSF National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory and NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory, incorporating extensive feedback from the astronomy community. It establishes a dynamic framework that will evolve alongside technological advancements in both satellite operations and astronomical research, ensuring long-term compatibility between these crucial activities. Chris Hofer, Head of International Spectrum Management and Strategy at Project Kuiper, said: 'Weve been engaged with the astronomy community since the initial design and development of Project Kuiper, and were pleased to build on that collaboration with a formal coordination agreement with NSF. This agreement underscores our commitment to responsible space operations and our belief that satellite broadband and ground-based astronomy can successfully coexist, and we look forward to continuing that work as we deploy our full satellite constellation.'
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
Hans India
24-06-2025
- Science
- Hans India
Largest digital camera ever built releases first glamour shots of universe
New York:The largest digital camera ever built released its first glamour shots of the universe Monday — including colourful nebulas, stars and galaxies. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located on a mountaintop in Chile, was built to take a deeper look at the night sky, covering hidden corners. Funded by the US National Science Foundation and US Department of Energy, it will survey the southern sky for the next 10 years. The observatory's first look features the vibrant Trifid and Lagoon nebulas located thousands of light-years from Earth. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles. A gaggle of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster were also captured, including two bright blue spirals. The observatory hopes to image 20 billion galaxies and discover new asteroids and other celestial objects. The effort is named after astronomer Vera Rubin, who offered the first tantalising evidence that a mysterious force called dark matter might be lurking in the universe. Researchers hope the observatory's discerning camera may yield clues about this elusive entity along with another called dark energy.
1News
24-06-2025
- Science
- 1News
Largest digital camera ever built releases its first shots of the universe
The largest digital camera ever built released its first shots of the universe — including colourful nebulas, stars and galaxies. The Vera C Rubin Observatory, located on a mountaintop in Chile, was built to take a deeper look at the night sky, covering hidden corners. Funded by the US National Science Foundation and US Department of Energy, it will survey the southern sky for the next 10 years. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including Iran's retaliation, Auckland Council's catering cost, and the new way to look deep into space. (Source: 1News) The observatory's first look features the vibrant Trifid and Lagoon nebulas located thousands of light-years from Earth. A light-year is around 9.4 trillion kilometres. ADVERTISEMENT A small section of the observatory's total view of the Virgo cluster. (Source: Associated Press) A gaggle of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster were also captured, including two bright blue spirals. The observatory hopes to image 20 billion galaxies and discover new asteroids and other celestial objects. The effort is named after astronomer Vera Rubin, who offered the first tantalising evidence that a mysterious force called dark matter might be lurking in the universe. Researchers hope the observatory's discerning camera may yield clues about this elusive entity along with another called dark energy.
