# Rubin Observatory's decade-long sky movie begins The universe's timelapse will be recorded with the world's largest digital camera. - **Source:** [Scientific American Content: Global](https://brifing.si/source/4f066134-e06d-4415-87ef-305e3dc2aba6) - **Published:** 2026-07-24 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/64dbff78-7c39-4140-8d2f-3dfa875fa874 ## The most comprehensive sky survey in history The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) project at Rubin Observatory will take panoramic photos of the sky every night for 10 years. With its 8.4-meter mirror and 3.2 billion-pixel camera, it will create the most detailed 'timelapse movie' of the universe to date. ## Giant camera under Chile's clear skies The project is located at Cerro Pachón summit (2,700m) in the Andes. Atmospheric conditions here are ideal for long-term observations. The camera is so large (64cm) - about the size of two cafeteria trays combined - capturing images a thousand times wider than smartphone cameras. ## A supernova every 30 seconds LSST is expected to detect a new supernova (exploding star) every 30 seconds. This data will help solve cosmological mysteries like the universe's expansion rate. Over the project duration, 10 million supernovae will be observed. ## Mapping 20 billion galaxies Capable of detecting objects up to magnitude 27.8 (500 million times fainter than visible to naked eye), LSST will catalog 20 billion galaxies. Each sky point will be scanned over 800 times to track cosmic changes. ## Pushing solar system boundaries The project will discover 30,000 new trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). It will also detect over 100,000 near-Earth asteroids (NEOs), providing critical data for planetary defense systems. ## Planet hunt in other galaxies LSST could detect exoplanets even in Milky Way's satellite galaxies. These discoveries in dense star clusters will test planet formation theories. ## A new era in astronomy This project will mark a turning point in astronomical history. Data collected over 10 years will serve scientists for centuries, fundamentally changing our understanding of the universe's dynamic nature. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-rubin-observatorys-greatest-legacy-will-be-this-movie-of-the-sky/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._