World's Largest Digital Camera Begins Decade-Long Sky Survey in Chile

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has officially launched the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) project, deploying the world's largest digital camera to scan the southern sky every 40 seconds over the next ten years. Weighing approximately three tons (6,600 pounds) and roughly the size of a small car, the camera will capture detailed, colorful images of cosmic phenomena such as supernovae, black holes, and asteroid movements. This continuous time-lapse imaging aims to document intergalactic evolution and provide unprecedented data access to scientists and the public alike.

The observatory's location atop Cerro Pachón at 2,682 meters in northern Chile offers optimal dark skies and dry air, enabling repeated observations of the same sky regions to detect rare events. The project, funded with $800 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation and Department of Energy, expects to generate around seven million alerts nightly about significant celestial activities. These data will be analyzed using artificial intelligence and machine learning to deepen understanding of dark matter, dark energy, and other cosmic mysteries.

Brian Stone, acting director of the NSF, described the project as "the largest cosmic movie ever made," highlighting decades of innovation and federal investment. Despite initial delays, originally planned to start in early 2026, the system underwent extensive optimization and technical reviews before commencing operations. During testing phases, the LSST system already identified 11,000 new asteroids and numerous solar system objects, demonstrating its effectiveness.

Project lead Željko Ivezić emphasized that the decision to begin was based on rigorous assessments of image quality, survey speed, system reliability, and calibration accuracy. Upon completion, the LSST dataset will include billions of objects with trillions of measurements, freely accessible worldwide, opening new avenues for discoveries by both scientists and the general public.