Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Astronomical observatory in Elqui Province, Chile
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is an astronomical facility in Elqui Province, Chile, equipped with a reflecting telescope and a digital camera for sky observation. The facility uses a three-mirror system and captures large sections of the visible sky at short intervals.
Construction began in 2015 with a first stone ceremony, after the project was proposed in 2001 and later funded by the National Science Foundation. Development spanned more than a decade of planning and technical preparation.
Named after American astronomer Vera Rubin, the observatory honors her work on galaxy rotation and dark matter. Her research shaped modern cosmology and opened new fields of investigation.
The observatory sits on Cerro Pachón mountain at an elevation of roughly 2700 meters (8850 feet) and operates with automated data processing systems. Access for visitors is typically not available due to the scientific nature of the work.
The LSST Camera, the largest digital camera ever built, weighs over 3 tonnes, is 3 m long and 1.60 m in diameter. Its focal plane holds 201 CCD sensors of 16.777 megapixels each, giving 3.2 billion pixels across a 64 cm wide field.
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