Frequently Asked Questions

Rubin Observatory will produce the deepest, widest, image of the Universe. To find out what Rubin will observe in detail see the Observing Strategy and key numbers.

Rubin Observatory is designed to achieve multiple scientific goals from a single survey. The four primary scientific drivers of Rubin Observatory are:

• Understanding Dark Energy and the nature of Dark Matter,
• Cataloging the Solar System
• Exploring the Transient and Variable Sky
• Exploring the Milky Way Structure & Formation

Please visit the Construction Updates page.

Visit the Key Numbers page.

The Rubin Observatory/LSST Science Collaborations are self-organized, self-managed groups of scientists who are recognized by Rubin Observator (as described in the Science Collaboration's Federation document) as reservoirs of expertise. They have a direct line of communication with the Rubin Observatory team (i.e. the Project during construction) through resources supported by the LSST Discovery Alliance (e.g. a Slack channel, dedicated community pages, and the existence of a Coordinator). The Science Collaborations also have a standing committee on the LSST Discovery Alliance Executive Board. The Science Collaborations, however, have no privileged access to Rubin Observatory data or software. All scientists that have Rubin Observatory data rights are welcome to apply to join one or more SCs, but membership rules, including requirements for acceptance within a SC, are established independently by each SC.

Each SC has its own rules for membership and application. Please look at the site of the SC you are interested in joining for details - LSST Science Collaborations.

Being part of a Science Collaboration allows more direct communication with the Rubin Observatory. By becoming a member, you can influence Rubin Observatory project choices, communicate with the Data Management team and use software, tools, simulations, and data products developed by the collaboration.

Researchers can monitor the LSST Discovery Alliance (LSST-DA) Science Catalyst Grants calls for proposals.

The Rubin Observatory nightly/daily data products will include (1) within 60 seconds of the end of exposure, alerts on sources that change by >= 5-sigma, and (2) after 24 hours, source catalogs from difference imaging and orbits of moving objects. The yearly data releases will include global, uniform processing of all the data taken from the start of the survey, yielding stacked, calibrated images, source catalogs, and light curves.

The data products for transients, variables, and moving objects will be primarily produced by the Prompt Processing pipelines, which will perform reduction, calibration, difference image analysis (DIA), source detection and measurement, and alert distribution within 60 seconds of image readout. Solar System Processing for moving objects will take place during the day. Images that result from Prompt Processing will be available after 80 hours, and are fully described in Section 3 of the DPDD. All DIA data products will be re-generated during the annual Data Release Processing. Source detection and measurement on direct images (i.e., non-difference images) will only be done during the annual Data Release Processing.

Rubin Observatory will also enable the generation of data products by the community to fulfill the requirements of specific science cases.

Read more about the planned data products.

All scientists and students affiliated with an institution in the US and Chile have data rights, as well as the international scientists and students whose names appear on the list of international data rights holders. For more information about data rights, please refer to the Rubin Observatory Data Policy, especially Section 4. "Defining Who Has Data Rights".

See Publication Policies.

Rubin Observatory Builder Status is obtained when an individual has accumulated 2 full time equivalent years of direct effort in the design, development, fabrication, construction and/or commissioning of Rubin Observatory. The publication policy states that “All relevant Builders will automatically be invited to join the list of contributing authors of Rubin Observatory Project papers that depend on areas to which the Builder contributed.“

Each Science Collaboration is free to define a builder status consistent with its own publication policy. For instance, DESC defines in its publication policy what is a DESC Builder and specific rights for Rubin Observatory builders that are also DESC full members.

See Publication Policies.

There is a grace period for junior researchers to maintain data rights and access, as described in DPOL-404 of the Rubin Data Policy.

See Rubin Observatory's statement addressing the issue of satellite constellations.

See LSST survey strategy information.

See LSST survey strategy information.

Review the Survey Cadence Optimization Committee's Phase 3 Recommendations.

See LSST survey strategy information.

See LSST survey strategy information.

See LSST survey strategy information.

See Data Processing Pipelines. Science Collaborations develop their own specific tools as well.

See Organization.

See Jobs Board.

See Committees and Teams.

The Rubin Observatory Project includes all members of the Rubin team that are supported by the DOE and NSF grants for construction of Rubin Observatory. As construction ends and operations begin, the members of the Rubin Observatory team and their roles will change.

The LSST Discovery Alliance (LSST-DA) is a not-for-profit 501(c) Arizona corporation founded in 2003 with the goal to initiate the LSST project, and to advance the science of astronomy and physics. LSST-DA raised over $50 million in the Design Development phase of the Rubin Observatory project and continues to raise funds that enable science and educational initiatives in preparation for Rubin Observatory.

Since their initial creation circa 2006 by the Project, the Science Collaborations (SCs) have become independent bodies that are self-organized and self-managed. Rules and charters, including publication policy and detailed membership requirements, are established independently by each SC with the only overarching rule that only data rights holders can become a member of one (or more) Rubin Observatory/LSST SCs. The SCs are supported by LSST-DA who provides web-hosting services, a communication platform (Slack), and a Science Collaborations Coordinator to facilitate communication between the SCs and the Project as well as SCs and LSST-DA. The SCs have regular meetings with members of the Rubin Observatory Project.

The Science Advisory Committee (SAC) provides a formal, two-way, connection to the external science community served by Rubin Observatory. Comprised of scientists familiar with but external to the LSST Project, the SAC advises the Rubin Observatory Director on both policy questions and technical topics of interest to the Project and the science community.

You could post your question on the Community Forum or send a message using our Contact Form at bottom.