World's largest 3,200 MP camera is about to be put into use

The LSST camera is a cutting-edge technological instrument weighing 2,994 kg. It is equipped with 189 sensitive CCD detectors to produce unprecedentedly detailed images of the Universe.

The world's largest 3,200 MP LSST camera today

In the coming weeks, experts will perform final calibrations of the optical system, after which the camera will take its first test images before beginning full-scale scientific observations. Assembly of the LSST camera was completed last April at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California. After undergoing extensive testing and shipping, the instrument was flown to Chile for installation and calibration.

Amazing parameters of LSST camera

The LSST camera consists of 189 CCD detectors arranged in 21 modules, each containing 9 sensors. Working together with the telescope's 8.4-meter primary mirror and 3.5-meter secondary mirror, it promises to deliver images of exceptional detail.

Some images of the LSST 3,200 MP camera assembly process

The LSST concept was first proposed in 2003 and the project received funding from prominent donors such as Charles Simonyi and Bill Gates in 2007, along with financial support from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) in 2010.

The LSST camera is the largest digital astronomical system ever built, capable of producing images of incredible detail that can be displayed on 400 4K UHD TVs. It will cover an area of ​​sky equivalent to 40 times the size of the moon and update its map of the southern sky every three days.

The main goal of LSST is to study dynamic processes in the universe, including tracking the motion of asteroids, recording supernova explosions and studying the structure of dark matter and dark energy. Thanks to the high sensitivity of the detectors and the huge amount of data, scientists will have the opportunity to track the evolution of galaxies and better understand the processes taking place in space.

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The LSST camera installation required a high level of precision and close coordination between engineers and scientists. Freddy Muñoz, mechanical lead at the Vera Rubin Observatory, said the installation required precision down to the millimeter. Travis Lange, LSST camera project manager, stressed that building the camera was one of the greatest technical challenges in modern astronomy.

Now that the LSST camera has been successfully installed, the Vera Rubin Observatory team will begin testing. An initial series of 3,200-megapixel images will be captured in the coming weeks, ushering in a new era of comprehensive observations of the southern sky. Over the next decade, the LSST is expected to collect important data that will transform scientists’ understanding of the structure and evolution of the universe.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/camera-3200-mp-lon-nhat-the-gioi-sap-duoc-dua-vao-su-dung-185250317063837744.htm