The world’s largest 3200MP camera is ready for use – it will be used to shoot the sky

This week, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile completed installation of the revolutionary 3,200-megapixel LSST camera. The 2,994-kilogram (6,200-pound) high-tech device features a sensor composed of 189 highly sensitive CCD detectors and is designed to produce unprecedentedly detailed images of the Universe. In the coming weeks, scientists will perform final calibration of the optical system, after which the camera will take its first test images, preceding the start of full-scale scientific observations of the Universe.

Image source: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/B. Quint

The final assembly of the LSST camera was completed last April at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California. After extensive testing and a complex transportation process, it was shipped to Chile, where engineers completed the final installation and calibration. The device contains 189 CCD detectors, organized into 21 individual modules, each containing nine sensors. Working as part of a telescope equipped with an 8.4-meter primary mirror and a 3.5-meter secondary, the camera will provide exceptionally detailed images.

The LSST concept was first proposed in 2003, when scientists began developing sketches for a next-generation telescope. In 2007, the project received funding from Charles Simonyi and Bill Gates, allowing it to begin implementation. In 2010, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) allocated additional funds. The installation of the LSST camera was the final step before the start of full-fledged scientific observation of the Universe.

The LSST is the largest digital astronomy system ever built. Its 3,200-megapixel sensor produces images of incredible detail: each photo contains enough information to display on 400 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 pixel) televisions. Working in tandem with the Simonyi Survey Telescope, the camera will cover an area of ​​the sky equivalent to 40 full Moons and update the map of the southern sky every three days.

The main objective of LSST is to study dynamic processes in the Universe in detail. The camera will record the movement of asteroids, register supernova explosions and contribute to the study of the structure of dark matter and the nature of dark energy. Thanks to the high sensitivity of the detectors and the colossal volume of data collected, scientists will be able to track the evolution of galaxies, identify patterns in the formation of star systems and better understand the processes occurring in the cosmic space around us.

The LSST installation process required exceptional precision. According to Freddy Muñoz, head of the mechanical team at the Vera Rubin Observatory, installing the camera required precision within millimeters and impeccable coordination between engineers and scientists. The challenge was not only the size of the camera, but also the need to precisely position its components to ensure proper interaction with the telescope’s optical elements.

LSST Camera Project Manager Travis Lange emphasized that the creation of the camera was one of the most complex technical challenges in modern astronomy. The development process involved leading experts in the fields of optics, mechanics, electronics and programming, who joined forces to implement the ambitious project. The camera, in addition to exceptional technical characteristics, is the pinnacle of engineering thought, made possible by decades of scientific achievements.

Now that the LSST camera is successfully installed, the Rubin Observatory team is beginning to test it. In the coming weeks, the first 3,200-megapixel images will be taken, followed by a full-scale survey of the southern sky. Over the next decade, the LSST camera is expected to collect data that will change scientists’ understanding of the structure and evolution of the universe.