From distant exploding supernovae and nearby asteroids to the mysteries of dark matter, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) promises to survey the night skies and provide data to solve the universe's biggest mysteries.
LSST is an 8.4-meter, wide-field survey telescope that will image the entire visible sky a few times a week for 10 years. The telescope will be located in Cerro Pachón, a mountain peak in northern Chile. Using a 3-billion pixel camera - the largest digital camera in the world, according to the National Science Foundation's press release - and a three-mirror construction, it will allow scientists to see a vast patch of sky.
The compact construction of LSST will enable rapid movement, according to the press release. LSST is expected to provide more than 30 terabytes of data each night. The telescope will also be used to explore dark matter with a dataset of billions of galaxies.
LSST is a notable partnership of government agencies and private donations, including Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Technológica (CONICYT) in Chile, the Charles and Lisa Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences and Bill Gates, according to the press release. LSST will see first light in 2019 and begin full operation in 2022.
