SUMMARY
Rubin Observatory has begun its decade-long survey of the night sky using the world's largest camera, a 3,200-megapixel instrument. Researchers are calling this mission a "cosmic movie" and a "blockbuster movie of the Universe." The camera, which took two decades to develop, will capture one photo of the southern sky approximately every 40 seconds overnight, generating about ten terabytes of data nightly. This survey aims to map changes in the night sky and uncover previously unobserved details about the universe, having already identified over 11,000 new asteroids during early testing.
TAKEAWAYS
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's 3,200-megapixel camera has officially begun its ten-year survey.
The mission is described as creating a time-lapse of the night sky, akin to a "cosmic movie."
The camera generates approximately ten terabytes of data each night.
Early surveys have already led to the discovery of over 11,000 previously unspotted asteroids.