NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory

See just how fast it works: Rubin can image the entire constellation of Orion in just 21 minutes! 🏹 The kind of cosmic surveying that used to take days or weeks can now happen in the time it takes to eat a midnight snack 🥪 🔭🧪

Longer nights means more time for the stars 🌟 As we get closer to winter in the southern hemisphere, sunset gets earlier. But that's good news for ground-based astronomy observatories like NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory, because longer nights mean more time to #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪

Grab your camera! 📸 NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory looks good from every angle, and YOU can experience it up close! Free public tours to Rubin through September 2026 are now open — reserve your spot at ls.st/visits. We hope to see you soon!

Our dome isn’t just for the aesthetic (though it does look iconic on Cerro Pachón 👀). NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's dome is basically a giant, high-tech shield for the telescope and camera inside, protecting them from wind, temperature swings, and dust. 🔭🧪

There's only one Earth 💙💚 Astronomers and astrophysicists are always looking up, trying to understand our place in the cosmos. It's a reminder of how special Earth really is! On this #EarthDay, look up with us and celebrate the beautiful planet we call home 🌎🌍🌏

NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory will send millions of alerts every night...who sorts through them? Meet the alert brokers who process & add context to Rubin’s alerts so scientists can focus on what they're interested in🔭🧪 🔗 https://rubinobservatory.org/for-scientists/data-products/alerts-and-brokers

Asteroids, supernovae, and black holes...oh my! ☄️🌀 In a single image, Rubin will detect thousands of changes in the sky — from objects in our Solar System to exploding or pulsing stars and actively feeding supermassive black holes, as well as surprises we can't predict yet! 💥 🔭🧪

The night sky looks steady. It's not. 💥 In the night sky, asteroids drift. Stars pulse and flicker. Distant galaxies flare when something dramatic like a supernova is happening inside them. The Universe is constantly changing, even when our eyes can’t see it. 🔭🧪☄️

Whew, we've made it to the last day of #AAS247 and we're thriving! By "thriving," we mean we've had more coffee than water this week, but we've also had fruitful discussions with colleagues from around the world! Here's our conference survival kit* ☕️ *peer-reviewed by fellow astronomers 🔭🧪☄️

Happy New Year! 🥳 Our New Year's resolution? To #CaptureTheCosmos💥 2026 will see the start of the 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time! Over the next decade, NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory will build the most complete map & detailed time-lapse movie of the Southern sky ever made. 🔭