The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile is home to the world's most powerful survey telescope, equipped with the largest digital camera ever built by humans, and it is on the verge of releasing its first images. The US National Science Foundation and Department of Energy will present the telescope's initial observations on June 23, marking the beginning of a new era in astronomy and the exploration of the cosmos beyond our planet.

Rubin Observatory, which has been in development for two decades since its proposal in 2001, will capture regular images of the sky and compile a vast time-lapse of its observations over a 10-year period. This survey, known as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), will cover the southern sky in near-ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared wavelengths.

The telescope boasts a 3,200-megapixel camera that will scan each section of the sky 800 times, generating a staggering 20 terabytes of data every 24 hours. During the LSST, it is expected to accumulate nearly 60 petabytes of raw image data, nearly double the amount collected by the Murchison Widefield Array in the same timeframe.

Scientists are excited about the potential of Rubin Observatory, anticipating groundbreaking discoveries and answers to questions that have yet to be posed. The combination of speed, wide field of view, and a sensitive camera on Rubin pushes the boundaries of traditional telescopic capabilities, according to the NSF and DOE.

They added, "No other telescope has the ability to simultaneously detect real-time changes in the sky and faint or distant objects on such a massive scale. These advanced capabilities will enable the capture of incredibly rare celestial events that have never been observed before."

The upcoming release of Rubin's first images has generated significant interest among astronomy enthusiasts, who are planning watch parties to witness the unveiling of the telescope's groundbreaking observations. The event is scheduled for June 23, 2025, at 11:00 ET, or 8:30 pm IST, and will be broadcast on the Rubin Observatory YouTube channel.