Scientists have officially unveiled the world’s largest digital camera, which will capture the largest images of the universe ever seen thanks to its 3,200 megapixels, powerful enough to detect a golf ball 25 kilometers away.
The camera will be part of the LSST telescope at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California.
When its construction is complete, the camera will take digital images of the entire southern sky visible every few nights from the Rubin Observatory, on top of a mountain in Chile called Cerro Pachón. It will produce a wide, deep and fast survey of the night sky, cataloging the largest number of stars and galaxies ever observed.
“The Rubin Observatory LSST camera is the largest digital camera ever built. It measures approximately 1.65 meters by 3 meters , is about the size of a small car, and weighs almost 2,800 kg,” they point out from the LSST.
When everything is ready, the camera’s imaging sensors should be able to detect objects 100 million times fainter than those seen with the naked eye, a sensitivity that would allow humans to see a candle thousands of miles away.
For now, the camera will be complete and ready for final testing before it is shipped to Chile in May 2023.
This telescope will shed light on some of the biggest mysteries in the universe , including dark matter and dark energy.
“This accomplishment is among the most significant of the entire Rubin Observatory Project,” Steven Kahn, director of SLAC’s observatory, previously stated. “The completion of the LSST camera focal plane and its successful testing is a major victory for the camera team that will enable Rubin Observatory to deliver next-generation astronomical science” .
Reference: lsst.org
