Researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory are nearly done with the LSST Camera, the world's largest digital camera ever built for astronomy. Roughly the size of a small car and weighing in at three tons, the camera features a five-foot wide front lens and a 3,200 megapixel sensor that will be cooled to -100°C to reduce noise. Once complete and in place atop the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Simonyi Survey Telescope in Chile, the camera will survey the southern night sky for a decade, creating a trove of data that scientists will pore over to better understand some of the universe's biggest mysteries, including the nature of dark energy and dark matter.
From left, Staff Engineer Diane Hascall, Staff Engineer Margaux Lopez, Lead Mechanical Engineer Travis Lange, Senior S&E Tech Mechanical Andy Hau, Mechanical Engineer Hannah Pollek and Prin S&E Tech Electro-Mech Mike Silva.
Credit: Jacqueline Ramseyer Orrell/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
