The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will produce “the deepest, widest image of the universe” as it surveys the sky for a 10-year period. Construction began in 2015, and 2019 will mark the engineering first light. The science first light will begin 2021, and its 10-year survey will kick off 2022.
Recently, the fully integrated cryostat of the LSST’s camera was completed and delivered. With 3.2 gigabits, it’ll be “the largest digital camera ever built for astronomy.”
The cryostat is responsible for the silicon carbide grid known as the optical bench, which ensures the focal plane is flat (about 1/10 the width of a human hair). It also keeps the focal plane at a uniform temperature of about -150°F. The focal plane has 189 CCD image sensors, and has a diameter of 65 centimeters.
The sensors’ readout electronics maintain their cool at -30°F thanks to the cryostat. Those components are kept right behind the focal plane. Adding one more duty to the list, it preserves all the hardware in a contaminate-free, high-vacuum environment.
The cryostat is in the middle of vacuum testing at the LSST’s primary clean room at SLAC. In 2020, the camera in its entirety is slated to ship off to its final destination in Chile.
The LSST will produce 200 petabytes of data and images, that’ll be used to unravel some of the well-known mysteries of the universe. As an overview, the LSST will address four major science areas:
- Understanding mysterious dark matter and dark energy
- Hazardous asteroids and the remote solar system
- The transient optical sky
- The formation and structure of the Milky Way
To learn more, watch the video below.
