Telescope promises unprecedented data about night skies, dark matter
From distant exploding supernovae and nearby asteroids to the mysteries of dark matter, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) promises to survey the night skies and provide data to solve the universe’s biggest mysteries. On April 14, news media are invited to join the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) and other public-private partners as they gather outside La Serena, Chile, to “officially” launch LSST’s construction in a traditional Chilean stone-laying ceremony.
LSST is an 8.4-meter, wide-field survey telescope that will image the entire visible sky a few times a week for 10 years. It is located in Cerro Pachón, a mountain peak in northern Chile, chosen for its clear air, low levels of light pollution and dry climate. Using a 3-billion pixel camera–the largest digital camera in the world–and a unique three-mirror construction, it will allow scientists to see a vast swath of sky, previously impervious to study. Read full article here…