Risa Wechsler, astrophysicist explains: 85% of the matter in the universe is dark matter, a substance that interacts through gravity but doesn't emit light. American astronomer Vera Rubin observed that stars on the outer edges of galaxies were rotating faster than anticipated, leading her to deduce the existence of substantial amounts of invisible dark matter.
The Rubin Observatory will enhance our understanding by mapping 20 billion galaxies across half the sky using gravitational lensing to pinpoint all matter, visible or not. Additionally, it will explore tiny galaxies with few stars but massive dark matter clumps, providing insights into dark matter's properties. This comprehensive survey will potentially reveal clues about dark matter's particle and further elucidate the universe's structure and evolution.
Olivier Bonin/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
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The LSST camera will sit atop Rubin Observatory’s Simonyi Survey Telescope high in the Andes of Chile.
An artist's rendering of the LSST Camera showing its major components including lenses, sensor array, and utility trunk.
