The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has activated its powerful new space camera, capable of capturing 3,200 megapixels and revealing secrets from the galaxy’s edge. The camera is designed to capture more detail from farther away than any previous device.
Located at an elevation of 8,684ft above sea level in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the Rubin Observatory’s custom-built camera sits at the heart of a 27ft-wide telescope. Every night, it takes rapid-fire exposures that scan the entire southern sky in ultra-high resolution every three to four days.
The camera generates massive amounts of data, including over 20TB per night, which will add up to more than 60,000TB over its decade-long Legacy Survey of Space and Time. This mission aims to catalog billions of galaxies, stars, supernovae, and smaller solar system objects.
What sets the camera apart is its ability to watch space in motion, capturing events like black holes ripping stars apart or new celestial objects being discovered. It may even find Planet Nine, a hypothetical giant planet believed to be hiding beyond Neptune.
The Rubin camera will help unlock universe mysteries, such as dark energy and hidden dark matter filaments, and give physicists a chance to uncover the forces shaping our universe. With its ultra-HD capabilities, we’ll soon witness the universe unfold in unprecedented detail.
Source: https://supercarblondie.com/3200-megapixel-space-camera-so-powerful-already-revealing-secrets