Taking one of the first 3,200-megapixel images of various objects, including the head of Romanesco – a type of broccoli – selected for its very detailed surface structure, was one of these tests. To do this without a fully assembled camera mine, the SLAC team used a 150-micron pinhole to project images onto a focal plane. These photos, which can be found expline in full resolution (links at the bottom of the release), show exceptional detail obtained by imaging sensors.
“Taking these images is a great achievement,” said Aaron Rudman of SLAC, the scientist responsible for assembling and testing the LSST camera. “With tight specifications we really pushed the limits of what is possible to take advantage of every square millimeter of the central plane and maximize the science we can do with it.”
The Camera My team on the home stretch
The team is ahead of a more challenging task than completing the camera assembly.
Over the next few months, they will introduce the Cryostat with the central plane in the camera body and add the camera lens, including the world’s largest optical lens, shutters and a filter exchange system for studying the night sky in a variety of colors. By mid-2021, the SUV-sized camera will be ready for final testing before embarking on a tour of Chile.
“The completion of the camera is very exciting, and we are proud to play such a central role in the construction of this key component of the Rubin Observatory,” said Joanne Hewitt, SLAC’s Chief Research Officer and Associate Lab Director of Basic Physics. For basic physics. “It’s a milestone that brings us a big step in the direction of exploring the basic questions about the universe in a way we haven’t been able to before.”
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