The Vera C. Rubin observatory has cost 1.9 billion dollars and 9 years to build. Overlooking Chile’s desert region of Coquimbo, it will be one of the best telescopes ever built, and may change our outlook on astronomy. It will start recording in 2025 and take ten years to record the visible sky. It has an automated data processing system to automatically record and store all of its observations. Its computer facilities will also be able to notify the world of its observations within 60 seconds. Its unique three mirror design also allows it to capture a wider view. It also has the largest digital camera ever constructed for astronomy, at 3200 megapixels. 

The telescope is planned to be used in exploring the nature of dark matter, understanding dark energy, cataloging the Solar System and the changing sky, and surveying the Milky Way’s structure and formation. 

Cites

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/05/astronomy-telescope-chile-vera-c-rubin-observatory?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1

https://www.aura-astronomy.org/centers/nsfs-oir-lab/rubinobservatory/

https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/vera-c-rubin-observatory/