This June 24, 2025, the Vera C. Rubin observatory captured a historic cliché of the cosmos, revealing the universe as never before.
That day, the astronomers revealed a first image of dizzying wealth: theAss of the Virginlocated about 54 million light years of the earth. Two Light spiral galaxiesthree galaxies mergingmillions ofstars… and in total, 10 millions de galaxies visible in this one cliché. We think we dream. Yet it is only 0,05 % of the 20 billion galaxies that Rubin is preparing to map during his mission of ten years.
A revolutionary camera perched in the Andes to capture the universe
This shot impresses because the larger digital camera never built it produced: the LSSTCam. The size of a compact car, this technology integrates into a 8.4 meter telescope in diameter, installed at 2,715 meters above sea level on the Cerro Pachónau Chili. Up there, far from all light pollutionRubin takes advantage of a rare purity, perfect for exploring the Depths of the Universe.
Thanks to his field of vision equivalent to 45 full moonsthe camera grabs a take portion immense from the sky. Its resolution would detect a golf ball at 24 kilometers. And she continues quickly: a catch all 30 secondsfollowed by repositioning in less of 7. Thus, Rubin sweeps the whole southern sky in just three days.
Rubin explores dark matter and black energy at unprecedented speed
The beauty Images fascinates, but their scientific scope impresses even more. Every night, Rubin produces near 10 million astronomical alerts : Variable stars, supernovae, asteroids… His goal? Track down the signatures of the dark matterthis component ghost representing 85 % of the material cosmic. It also aims to unravel the secret of theblack energyresponsible foracceleration of the expansion of the universe.
The observatory collects data gigantic – up to 500 petacts – and makes them accessible to public and researchers around the world. Thanks to Rubin, we can sail in a Google Maps Cosmos, living and updated continuously. A kind of cosmic film accelerated, where each cliché reveals a fragment of stellar life.
The Rubin effect: see the invisible and redefine our place in the universe
So yes, the image of June 24 only marks the start. But What a beginning ! I surprised myself zoomshas Scrollerto ask me: “Where am I in this?” As if, for the first time, I was offered the real Texture you Cosmos. And I thought: maybe there Rubin effect. He reminds us that we are tiny… but also Privileged witnesses of a infinite show.
