Taking astronomy to the next level: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope gets funding to start constructi
Taking astronomy to the next level: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope gets funding to start construction
August 8, 2014
Construction of the highly anticipated Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) can begin now that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has finalized funding. To be located in Chile, LSST is a proposed 8-meter wide-field survey telescope that will image the entire visible sky approximately twice per week, providing an unprecedented amount of information while transforming the emerging discipline of data-enabled science.
LSST was the highest-ranked ground-based large initiative in the 2010 National Academy of Sciences decadal survey in astronomy and astrophysics. The project is a partnership among NSF, the Department of Energy (DOE) and a number of private contributors. Additionally, researchers from around the world, not only the United States and Chile, will provide operational support to facilitate LSST’s mission.
“LSST is a wonderful example of NSF leading the way by investing in fundamental science that is often high risk but potentially very high reward,” said NSF Deputy Director Cora Marrett. “LSST is an investment in trailblazing researchers and tools and will encourage important international collaboration.”
Equipped with a 3-billion pixel digital camera, LSST will observe objects as they change or move, providing insight into short-lived transient events such as astronomical explosions or collisions. It will create detailed maps of the Milky Way and of our own solar system, and chart billions of remote galaxies. Its observations will also probe the imprints of dark matter and dark energy.
Read more at http://scienceblog.com/73814/taking-astronomy-next-level-large-synoptic-survey-telescope-gets-funding-start-construction/#lypJGOmDhkVUUExe.99
