Vera Rubin Scientists Reveal Telescope’s First Images

On Monday, the cosmic curious are getting a first full look at pictures of the universe that reveal the capabilities of the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

One shows a riotously pink view of the Trifid and Lagoon nebulas.

The two sprawling clouds of dust and gas, thousands of light-years away from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius, have been photographed often by both amateurs and professional astronomers. More powerful instruments have taken more detailed photos, but with their narrow field of view, they only see a small slice of the scene.

“You’ve not seen the whole thing, all captured at once at this depth with so many objects there,” said Steven Ritz, a physicist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the project scientist for Rubin construction. “That, I would point out, is new. And just how pretty it is.”

Dr. Ritz hopes this teaser image will pique people’s curiosity enough to tune in to a news conference on Monday, June 23, at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time when observatory officials will reveal what they are calling Rubin’s “First Look” images.

The Rubin Observatory, a joint venture of the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, will provide a comprehensive view of the night sky unlike anything astronomers have seen before.