Rise of Vera Rubin’s super observatory

Astronomy’s new era will be defined by a wider and deeper view of the universe

Astronomy’s new era will be defined by a wider and deeper view of the universe

The history of astronomy has been defined by advancements in telescope technology catching up with current theories and leapfrogging them, in the process providing new, exciting and challenging aspects of the universe to study. Telescopes have now reached the point where a single astronomer with a single telescope can make very little new headway.

True astronomical innovation in the 21st century requires massive collaborations. The next leap in our observations of the cosmos is upon us, and will be delivered courtesy of a sizable undertaking: the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, currently under construction on the El Peñón peak of Cerro Pachón in northern Chile.

When Rubin begins operations in 2023, it will allow astronomers to consider some of the universe’s most pressing mysteries, including assessing the nature of dark energy and dark matter. This will allow us to understand dark matter’s influence on the evolution of galaxies, while the investigation of dark energy could reveal the driving force behind the universe’s accelerating expansion. Fittingly, the Rubin Observatory – named after the astronomer who discovered the first observational evidence of dark matter – could deliver the data that helps us to finally understand the true nature of the universe’s dark components.

“We expect the Vera C. Rubin Observatory to make many discoveries – things we did not even know existed before”

Steven Kahn

Left: The mountainous terrain had to be moulded into a good spot to construct a telescope

Left: Rubin will further research into dark matter in the halos of galaxies