The Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Monday released its first dazzling images of deep space in a preview of the cosmic movie the pioneering probe was built to create.
The U.S.-funded observatory, perched in an area of the Chilean Andes known for exceptionally dark skies, is equipped with the world’s largest digital camera and a 27.5-foot mirror that can capture light too faint for other telescopes to see.
Together, the photos will create a dynamic time-lapse record of the southern sky—essentially a vast celestial flipbook that is expected to document 38 billion objects, from galaxies and stars to black holes and supernovae.
The project, dubbed the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, is slated to begin later this year. It will advance four science goals: inventorying the solar system, mapping the Milky Way, cataloging billions of transient space objects and unlocking the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. No previous telescope has peered this far and wide into space.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Monday released its first dazzling images of deep space snapped with the world's largest digital camera. @GaripPatricia reports for #WSJScience https://t.co/KEjkYow62t via @WSJ
— Jo Craven McGinty (@mcjomcg) June 23, 2025