3,200-megapixel camera, known as the LSST (Legacy Survey of Space and Time), has been installed in a telescope at Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-June 23rd, 2025) The world’s largest and most powerful digital camera has released its first test images, marking a major milestone in space observation.
The 3,200-megapixel camera, known as the LSST (Legacy Survey of Space and Time), has been installed in a telescope at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. Though it operates similarly to regular digital cameras, it features 189 sensors that capture light from stars and other celestial bodies, converting it into electronic signals to create high-resolution digital images.
Each sensor measures 16 millimeters, and each contains more pixels than an iPhone camera. The development and installation of the camera took several years, and its first test images—revealing millions of stars and galaxies—have now been released.
The official release of images and videos from the camera, installed with support from the US National Science Foundation and Department of Energy, is scheduled for the night of June 23.
The test images shared so far are based on just 10 hours of observation. According to the National Science Foundation, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will gather more detailed data about the universe than any previous optical telescope.
In its initial observations, the observatory identified 2,104 asteroids including 7 near-Earth objects. One of the released images shows a detailed view of two galaxies while another depicts the Trifid and Lagoon nebulae, known as stellar nurseries where stars are born.
The scientists expect the observatory to detect millions of space rocks in its first two years, and the telescope is considered one of the most effective tools for spotting asteroids and comets within our solar system.
The camera is set to provide researchers with invaluable data, potentially unlocking some of the universe’s deepest secrets.
