Vera C. Rubin Observatory Archives

In this illustration, a mosaic of several of Rubin Observatory’s observation footprints is projected upon some of the millions of asteroids that scientists will find in Rubin’s vast Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) dataset. A few of these asteroids may prove scientifically interesting enough to launch or redirect a spacecraft to investigate them. Before spacecraft missions can travel to small Solar System objects for detailed exploration, researchers first have to know which objects are worth visiting and where they are in the Solar System. Several spacecraft missions (including NASA’s Lucy, whose shape and orbit are represented in this image) are currently exploring the Solar System’s asteroid belt, Jupiter Trojans, and other nearby regions, with the potential to explore new objects detected by Rubin Observatory. -- NOIRLab

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Stellar Cartography

Stellar Cartography: Rubin Observatory: Inspiring A New Era In Space Missions

by Keith CowingFebruary 19, 2024February 19, 2024

Vera C. Rubin Observatory will help scientists identify intriguing targets to prioritize for future space missions by detecting millions of new Solar System objects, and by revealing — in more […]

Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Stellar Cartography: Rubin Observatory: Inspiring A New Era In Space Missions

Gullies In The Equatorial Region of Mars

Orbital Biosignature Assay: Watching Forests Grow From Space

Signs And Signatures Of Intelligence

CO Snow Lines Are Stabilised By The Vertical Transport Of Volatiles

Multi-year Ground-Based Survey Photometry of Active Comet 103P/Hartley 2 and Centaur (2060) Chiron: A Tale of Two Comets in the Pre-LSST Era