Latest news with #CatherineHeymans
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
First images of distant galaxies captured by ‘ultimate' telescope
Spectacular views of distant galaxies, giant dust clouds and hurtling asteroids have been revealed in the first images captured by a groundbreaking telescope that is embarking on a 10-year survey of the cosmos. The stunning pictures from the $810m (£595m) Vera C Rubin observatory in Chile mark the start of what astronomers believe will be a gamechanging period of discovery as the telescope sets about compiling the best view yet of the universe in action. In about 10 hours of observations, the observatory spotted 2,104 previously unspotted asteroids in our solar system, including seven near-Earth asteroids, which were said to pose no danger to the planet. 'I'm absolutely blown away. Just look, it's teeming with gorgeous glittering galaxies!' said Prof Catherine Heymans, an astrophysicist at the University of Edinburgh and Scotland's astronomer royal. Related: State-of-the-art telescope in Chile to offer best view yet of universe 'I'm so delighted that they chose Virgo for the 'first look' as it celebrates a key moment in humanity's dark matter story. It was 1930s observations of the Virgo and Coma clusters that prompted Fritz Zwicky to conclude there must be extra invisible dark matter out there.' Built on Cerro Pachón, a mountain in the foothills of the Chilean Andes, the 18-storey observatory is equipped with the largest camera ever built. It will observe the entire southern sky every three to four days and then repeat the process, over and over, for a decade. The result will be the largest astronomical movie of all time, capturing everything in sight from asteroids, comets and exploding stars to potential new planets and interstellar objects. Whenever the telescope detects a change it will alert astronomers within minutes so they can bring other instruments to bear on the event. 'We've never looked at the universe in this way before. You get to see everything that moves, everything that changes in brightness,' said Heymans. Rubin is a US facility, but the UK is heavily involved as one of three international data facilities that will process about 1.5m images capturing about 10bn stars and galaxies. During the survey, the Rubin observatory will make trillions of measurements of billions of objects. Looking beyond the Milky Way, astronomers expect to map about 20bn previously unknown galaxies. When complete, the full 10-year survey is expected to rack up as much as 500 petabytes of data. 'The power of this observatory is about being able to see so much of the cosmos,' said Prof Aaron Roodman, the deputy director for Rubin construction. 'We can almost look anywhere and get an incredible treasure trove of information.' At the heart of the telescope is a car-sized 3,200 megapixel digital camera. The images it captures are so large it would take 400 ultra-high definition TVs to display one at full size. To see the first images in all their glory, many astronomers made arrangements to view them through their local planetariums. By layering-up multiple images from the same patch of sky, the telescope's decade-long lLegacy survey of space and time will reveal extremely dim and distant objects. Astronomers are particularly keen to search for a potential Planet Nine, which may lurk far beyond Neptune and orbit the sun every 10,000 to 20,000 years. The images should also shed light on the dark universe, the 95% of the cosmos attributed to mysterious and invisible components known as dark matter and dark energy. Armed with the images, astronomers will map how dark matter is strewn throughout the universe and how its distribution changes over time. By monitoring millions of exploded stars, scientists will measure the expansion of the universe, and hone their description of the dark energy thought to drive the process. Far more discoveries are anticipated. The observatory is expect to catalogue about 90,000 new near-Earth asteroids, more than double the number known so far. Among them may be asteroids that risk hitting Earth. Space agencies are planning for such an event, with Rubin central to finding threatening space rocks before they find us. Many of the images the observatory takes will be crossed with streaks from overflying satellites such as the SpaceX Starlinks. But automated algorithms will spot the tracks and blot them out, with minimal impact on the scientific analyses. 'Rubin is a workhorse,' Heymans said. 'This is the kit that we've been working towards. 'This is the ultimate telescope.'
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- Science
- The Guardian
First images of distant galaxies captured by ‘ultimate' telescope
Spectacular views of distant galaxies, giant dust clouds and hurtling asteroids have been revealed in the first images captured by a groundbreaking telescope that is embarking on a 10-year survey of the cosmos. The stunning pictures from the $810m (£595m) Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile mark the start of what astronomers believe will be a gamechanging period of discovery as the telescope sets about compiling the best view yet of the universe in action. In about 10 hours of observations, the observatory spotted 2,104 previously unspotted asteroids in our solar system, including seven near-Earth asteroids, which were said to pose no danger to the planet. 'I'm absolutely blown away. Just look, it's teeming with gorgeous glittering galaxies!' said Prof Catherine Heymans, an astrophysicist at the University of Edinburgh and Scotland's astronomer royal. 'I'm so delighted that they chose Virgo for the 'first look' as it celebrates a key moment in humanity's dark matter story. It was 1930s observations of the Virgo and Coma clusters that prompted Fritz Zwicky to conclude there must be extra invisible dark matter out there.' Built on Cerro Pachón, a mountain in the foothills of the Chilean Andes, the 18-storey observatory is equipped with the largest camera ever built. It will observe the entire southern sky every three to four days and then repeat the process, over and over, for a decade. The result will be the largest astronomical movie of all time, capturing everything in sight from asteroids, comets and exploding stars to potential new planets and interstellar objects. Whenever the telescope detects a change it will alert astronomers within minutes so they can bring other instruments to bear on the event. 'We've never looked at the universe in this way before. You get to see everything that moves, everything that changes in brightness,' said Heymans. Rubin is a US facility, but the UK is heavily involved as one of three international data facilities that will process about 1.5m images capturing about 10bn stars and galaxies. During the survey, the Rubin observatory will make trillions of measurements of billions of objects. Looking beyond the Milky Way, astronomers expect to map about 20bn previously unknown galaxies. When complete, the full 10-year survey is expected to rack up as much as 500 petabytes of data. 'The power of this observatory is about being able to see so much of the cosmos,' said Prof Aaron Roodman, deputy director for Rubin construction. 'We can almost look anywhere and get an incredible treasure trove of information.' At the heart of the telescope is a car-sized 3,200 megapixel digital camera. The images it captures are so large it would take 400 ultra-high definition TVs to display one at full size. To see the first images in all their glory, many astronomers made arrangements to view them through their local planetariums. By layering-up multiple images from the same patch of sky, the telescope's decade-long lLegacy survey of space and time will reveal extremely dim and distant objects. Astronomers are particularly keen to search for a potential 'Planet Nine', which may lurk far beyond Neptune and orbit the sun every 10,000 to 20,000 years. The images should also shed light on the dark universe, the 95% of the cosmos attributed to mysterious and invisible components known as dark matter and dark energy. Armed with the images, astronomers will map how dark matter is strewn throughout the universe and how its distribution changes over time. By monitoring millions of exploded stars, scientists will measure the expansion of the universe, and hone their description of the dark energy thought to drive the process. Far more discoveries are anticipated. The observatory is expect to catalogue about 90,000 new near-Earth asteroids, more than double the number known so far. Among them may be asteroids that risk hitting Earth. Space agencies are already planning for such an event, with Rubin central to finding threatening space rocks before they find us. Many of the images the observatory takes will be crossed with streaks from overflying satellites such as the SpaceX Starlinks. But automated algorithms will spot the tracks and blot them out, with minimal impact on the scientific analyses. 'Rubin is a workhorse,' Heymans said. 'This is the kit that we've been working towards. 'This is the ultimate telescope.'
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
Stellar nurseries spotted: Vera Rubin Observatory captures distant galaxies; stunning first images released
Vera Rubin Observatory captures distant galaxies (Image: X/@VRubinObs) After over 20 years in the making, the Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile released its first images on Monday, revealing stunning views of the universe and highlighting its powerful abilities. The observatory is located on Cerro Pachón in the Chilean Andes. It works in clear, dark skies and dry weather, making it ideal for capturing even the faintest details in space. Early images reveal cosmic wonders One of the first images is a combination of 678 photos taken in just seven hours, showing stunning star-forming areas like the Trifid and Lagoon Nebulas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Syedpur: Scholarships You Can Apply For (Start Now) Google Search Search Now Undo These vibrant clouds of gas and dust, located 9,000 light-years from Earth, appear in vivid pink, red and orange hues, revealing features never before seen in such clarity. Another image reveals the expansive Virgo Cluster of galaxies, offering a glimpse into the large-scale structure of the cosmos. The observatory is set to dramatically expand our understanding of the solar system. In just its first few hours of operation, it has already identified more than 2,100 previously unknown asteroids, including several near-Earth objects. Scientists believe that if a theoretical ninth planet exists beyond Neptune, the Rubin Observatory can detect it within its first year. Its advanced tracking of potentially dangerous asteroids and high-resolution mapping of the Milky Way will play a crucial role in both planetary defence and deep-space research. A new era in astronomy Equipped with an advanced 8.4 metre telescope and housing the largest digital camera ever constructed, the Rubin Observatory represents a major leap forward in astronomical observation. Its state-of-the-art data processing system will allow scientists to scan the southern night sky continuously for the next decade as part of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). This ambitious project aims to detect subtle changes across billions of stars and galaxies, helping researchers unravel the universe's history. A central goal of the observatory is to shed light on dark matter and dark energy—two elusive components that are believed to make up about 95 percent of the universe. Despite their vast influence on the cosmos, their true nature remains one of the biggest mysteries in modern science. Named after Vera Rubin, the astronomer whose work first confirmed the existence of dark matter, the facility will provide crucial data to probe these cosmic mysteries. Professor Catherine Heymans, the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, emphasized the significance of this moment, noting that she has dedicated 25 years toward realizing the observatory's potential. The UK plays a vital role in this global effort, hosting data centres that will manage and analyse the massive volumes of detailed images captured nightly. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, called the Rubin Observatory "an investment in our future."
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Science
- BBC News
Vera Rubin: First celestial image from revolutionary telescope
A powerful new telescope in Chile has released its first images, showing off its unprecedented ability to peer into the dark depths of the one picture, vast colourful gas and dust clouds swirl in a star-forming region 9,000 light years from Earth. The Vera C Rubin observatory, home to the world's most powerful digital camera, promises to transform our understanding of the a ninth planet exists in our solar system, scientists say this telescope would find it in its first year. It should detect killer asteroids in striking distance of Earth and map the Milky Way. It will also answer crucial questions about dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up most of our once-in-a-generation moment for astronomy is the start of a continuous 10-year filming of the southern night sky."I personally have been working towards this point for about 25 years. For decades we wanted to build this phenomenal facility and to do this type of survey," says Professor Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for UK is a key partner in the survey and will host data centres to process the extremely detailed snapshots as the telescope sweeps the skies capturing everything in its Rubin could increase the number of known objects in our solar system tenfold. BBC News visited the Vera Rubin observatory before the release of the sits on Cerro Pachón, a mountain in the Chilean Andes that hosts several observatories on private land dedicated to space high, very dry, and very dark. It is a perfect location to watch the this darkness is sacrosanct. The bus ride up and down the windy road at night must be done cautiously, because full-beam headlights must not be inside of the observatory is no is a whole engineering unit dedicated to making sure the dome surrounding the telescope, which opens to the night sky, is dark – turning off rogue LEDs or other stray lights that could interfere with the astronomical light they are capturing from the night starlight is "enough" to navigate, commissioning scientist Elana Urbach of the observatory's big goals, she adds, is to "understand the history of the Universe" which means being able to see faint galaxies or supernova explosions that happened "billions of years ago"."So, we really need very sharp images," Elana detail of the observatory's design exhibits similar precision. It achieves this through its unique three-mirror design. Light enters the telescope from the night sky, hits the primary mirror (8.4m diameter), is reflected onto the secondary mirror (3.4m) back onto a third mirror (4.8m) before entering its mirrors must be kept in impeccable condition. Even a speck of dust could alter the image high reflectivity and speed of this allow the telescope to capture a lot of light which Guillem Megias, an active optics expert at the observatory, says is "really important" to observe things from "really far away which, in astronomy, means they come from earlier times".The camera inside the telescope will repeatedly capture the night sky for ten years, every three days, for a Legacy Survey of Space and 1.65m x 3m, it weighs 2,800kg and provides a wide field of will capture an image roughly every 40 seconds, for about 8-12 hours a night thanks to rapid repositioning of the moving dome and telescope has 3,200 megapixels (67 times more than an iPhone 16 Pro camera), making it so high-resolution that it could capture a golf ball on the Moon and would require 400 Ultra HD TV screens to show a single image."When we got the first photo up here, it was a special moment," Mr Megias said."When I first started working with this project, I met someone who had been working on it since 1996. I was born in 1997. It makes you realise this is an endeavour of a generation of astronomers." It will be down to hundreds of scientists around the world to analyse the stream of data alerts, which will peak at around 10 million a survey will work on four areas: mapping changes in the skies or transient objects, the formation of the Milky Way, mapping the Solar System, and understanding dark matter or how the universe its biggest power lies in its constancy. It will survey the same areas over and over again, and every time it detects a change, it will alert scientists. "This transient side is the really new unique thing... That has the potential to show us something that we hadn't even thought about before," explains Prof it could also help protect us by detecting dangerous objects that suddenly stray near Earth, including asteroids like YR4 that scientists briefly worried early this year was on track to smash into our camera's very large mirrors will help scientists detect the faintest of light and distortions emitted from these objects and track them as they speed through space."It's transformative. It's going be the largest data set we've ever had to look at our galaxy with. It will fuel what we do for many, many years," says Professor Alis Deason at Durham will receive the images to analyse how far back the stars reach in the Milky the moment most data from the stars goes back about 163,000 light years, but Vera Rubin could see back to 1.2 million Deason also expects to see into the Milky Way's stellar halo, or its graveyard of stars destroyed over time, as well as small satellite galaxies that are still surviving but are incredibly faint and hard to Vera Rubin is thought to be powerful enough to finally solve a long-standing mystery about the existence of our solar system's Planet object could be as far away as 700 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun, far beyond the reach of other ground telescopes. "It's gonna take us a long time to really understand how this new beautiful observatory works. But I am so ready for it," says Professor Heymans.
