Science and Society | A Powerful Eye on the Changing Cosmos

• Tuesday, February 3 @ 5:00 pm
• Lewes Public Library, Lewes, DE

A new Observatory on a mountaintop in Chile began a survey in 2025 that could transform astronomy. The Vera C Rubin Observatory, named for the astronomer who found conclusive evidence for the existence of mysterious dark matter in the universe, uses the largest digital camera ever built to, among other things, reveal anything that changes in the southern sky over time, from asteroids and comets in our solar system to variable stars, supernova explosions, and interstellar objects. The resulting ultra-high-definition time-lapse map of billions of celestial objects could also provide insights into the nature of dark matter and dark energy--the enigmatic force that appears to be driving galaxies apart at an accelerating pace—and perhaps yet-to-be discovered cosmic phenomena. Dr. Sandrine Thomas will discuss the Rubin Observatory’s early results, its history and objectives, and the innovative system built to handle the tidal wave of data it produces every day.

Dr. Thomas is Deputy Director for Construction and Associate Director for the Rubin Observatory Summit Operation.

NOTE: this meeting is being conducted through Zoom. You MUST REGISTER to receive instructions for joining the meeting.

Free Lectures & Workshops Libraries Virtual Southern Delaware

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