Vera C. Rubin Observatory

[[File:Trifid and Lagoon nebulae.jpg|thumb|First released image from the Rubin Observatory, the [[Trifid Nebula|Trifid]] and [[Lagoon Nebula|Lagoon]] nebulae<ref name=Chang-NYT/>]]

[[File:Trifid and Lagoon nebulae.jpg|thumb|First released image from the Rubin Observatory, the [[Trifid Nebula|Trifid]] and [[Lagoon Nebula|Lagoon]] nebulae<ref name=Chang-NYT/>]]

The very first photons resolved by the complete instrument had been detected on 15 April 2025, appearing as rings before the instrument was adjusted to focus them as dots.<ref name=Chang-NYT>{{Cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Kenneth |last2=Miller |first2=Katrina |date=23 June 2025 |title=Vera Rubin Scientists Reveal Telescope's First Images |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/science/vera-rubin-scientists-reveal-telescopes-first-images.html |access-date=23 June 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>Images from the [[First light (astronomy)|first light]] of the full telescope and camera combination were released on 23 June 2025.<ref name="VRF_1">{{cite news| last1=Wells| first1=Ione| last2=Rannard| first2=Georgina| title=First celestial image unveiled from revolutionary telescope| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3rmjjgx6xo| work=[[BBC]]| date=23 June 2025| access-date=24 June 2025| archive-date=23 June 2025| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250623112459/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3rmjjgx6xo| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="WTFL_1">{{cite web| title=Welcome to your First Look at the cosmos from NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory| url=https://rubinobservatory.org| website=Vera C. Rubin Observatory| date=23 June 2025| access-date=24 June 2025| language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Greenfieldboyce |first=Nell |date=23 June 2025 |title=The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's first images are stunning — and just the start |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/06/23/nx-s1-5355034/vera-c-rubin-observatory-first-images |access-date=23 June 2025 |work=NPR |language=en |archive-date=23 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250623064724/https://www.npr.org/2025/06/23/nx-s1-5355034/vera-c-rubin-observatory-first-images |url-status=live }}</ref> The first teasers were a composite image of the [[Trifid Nebula|Trifid]] and [[Lagoon Nebula|Lagoon]] nebulae and extracts from a wide-field view of the many galaxies in the [[Virgo Cluster]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Klesman |first=Alison |date=23 June 2025 |title=Here are the first-ever images released by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory |url=https://www.astronomy.com/science/first-ever-images-released-by-the-vera-c-rubin-observatory/ |access-date=23 June 2025 |website=Astronomy Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> The image of the Virgo Cluster had been taken in early May over four nights. The early images showed over 2000 new [[asteroid]]s.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rubin-observatorys-first-images-just-unveiled-the-universe-as-weve-never/ |magazine=Scientific American |date=23 June 2025 |title=Majestic First Images from Rubin Observatory Show Universe in More Detail Than Ever Before |author=Meghan Bartels}}</ref> [[Watch party|Watch parties]] for the release were held across six continents as people from 28 countries had been involved in the commissioning of the instrument.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 June 2025 |title=Vera C Rubin Observatory first images |url=https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/vera-c-rubin-observatory-first-images |access-date=23 June 2025 |website=BBC Sky at Night Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

The very first photons resolved by the complete instrument had been detected on 15 April 2025, appearing as rings before the instrument was adjusted to focus them as dots.<ref name=Chang-NYT>{{Cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Kenneth |last2=Miller |first2=Katrina |date=23 June 2025 |title=Vera Rubin Scientists Reveal Telescope's First Images |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/science/vera-rubin-scientists-reveal-telescopes-first-images.html |access-date=23 June 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Images from the [[First light (astronomy)|first light]] of the full telescope and camera combination were released on 23 June 2025.<ref name="VRF_1">{{cite news| last1=Wells| first1=Ione| last2=Rannard| first2=Georgina| title=First celestial image unveiled from revolutionary telescope| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3rmjjgx6xo| work=[[BBC]]| date=23 June 2025| access-date=24 June 2025| archive-date=23 June 2025| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250623112459/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3rmjjgx6xo| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="WTFL_1">{{cite web| title=Welcome to your First Look at the cosmos from NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory| url=https://rubinobservatory.org| website=Vera C. Rubin Observatory| date=23 June 2025| access-date=24 June 2025| language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Greenfieldboyce |first=Nell |date=23 June 2025 |title=The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's first images are stunning — and just the start |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/06/23/nx-s1-5355034/vera-c-rubin-observatory-first-images |access-date=23 June 2025 |work=NPR |language=en |archive-date=23 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250623064724/https://www.npr.org/2025/06/23/nx-s1-5355034/vera-c-rubin-observatory-first-images |url-status=live }}</ref> The first teasers were a composite image of the [[Trifid Nebula|Trifid]] and [[Lagoon Nebula|Lagoon]] nebulae and extracts from a wide-field view of the many galaxies in the [[Virgo Cluster]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Klesman |first=Alison |date=23 June 2025 |title=Here are the first-ever images released by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory |url=https://www.astronomy.com/science/first-ever-images-released-by-the-vera-c-rubin-observatory/ |access-date=23 June 2025 |website=Astronomy Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> The image of the Virgo Cluster had been taken in early May over four nights. The early images showed over 2000 new [[asteroid]]s.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rubin-observatorys-first-images-just-unveiled-the-universe-as-weve-never/ |magazine=Scientific American |date=23 June 2025 |title=Majestic First Images from Rubin Observatory Show Universe in More Detail Than Ever Before |author=Meghan Bartels}}</ref> [[Watch party|Watch parties]] for the release were held across six continents as people from 28 countries had been involved in the commissioning of the instrument.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 June 2025 |title=Vera C Rubin Observatory first images |url=https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/vera-c-rubin-observatory-first-images |access-date=23 June 2025 |website=BBC Sky at Night Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

== Overview ==

== Overview ==