SCIENCE LAB SPECIAL : SPACE STUDENTS

 

'' Rubin's first light '' : Astronomers atop a mountain in central Chile are wrapping up construction of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which might capture its first views of the night sky this year, as early as July 4.

Formerly the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the observatory was renamed in 2020 to honor Vera Rubin, who died at 88 in 2016.

Dr. Rubin's work persuaded astronomers of the existence of dark matter which makes up a vast majority of mass in the universe,  but no one knows what it is.

The name is fitting. With the largest digital camera in the world, scientists will use the Rubin Observatory to create a time-lapse motion picture of the southern sky.

Such images would help researchers understand the nature of dark matter, as well as dark energy, the unknown force pushing the cosmos apart.

The trove of data will also help reveal the story of our galaxy's birth and catalog asteroids and comets in our solar system,  including those that could slam into Earth one day.

The World Students Society thanks Michael Roston and Katrina Miller.