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LSST High Fire Event

The LSST primary/tertiary mirror experienced a successful High Fire over the weekend of March 28 & 29th, 2008, reaching a peak temperature of approximately 1165∫C (2125∫F). (See this video taken inside the oven over high fire). This event is the critical first step in fabricating the key optical components of the LSST, a unique wide-field survey telescope. The LSST mirror will now anneal and cool gradually to room temperature over the next 100 days in the slowly rotating oven of the UA Steward Observatory Mirror Lab, and will be removed for grinding and polishing in mid-August. More images are to be added as time allows.

Charles Simonyi talks about his experience as a space tourist at the event dinner. In the foreground is a scale model of the LSST telescope, a gift to Mr. Simonyi in appreciation of his fund's generous contribution to the project. 
(Image credit: Oskar Holm for the LSST Corporation)

 

George Helou and LSST system engineer Chuck Claver pose in front a life size graphic of the LSST camera. 
(Image credit: Oskar Holm for the LSST Corporation)

 

Steward Observatory Mirror Lab Director Roger Angel discusses telescopes with Charles Simonyi on the polishing floor. 
(Image credit : Bruce Balick for the LSST Corporation)

 

Don Mcarthy shows a group of Tucson Area Physics Teachers around the Mirror Lab. 
(Image credit: David Harvey for the LSST Corporation)

Purdue Physicist Ian Shipsey, The National Science Board's Steven Beering, LSST Director Tony Tyson and LSST Project Manager Don Sweeney pose in front of a life size graphic of the LSST camera. 
(Image credit: Oskar Holm for the LSST Corporation)

 

(Image credit: David Harvey for the LSST Corporation)

 

A group of guests observe a mirror being polished.
(Image credit : David Harvey for the LSST Corporation)

Financial support for Rubin Observatory comes from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through Cooperative Agreement No. 1258333, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science under Contract No. DE-AC02-76SF00515, and private funding raised by the LSST Corporation. The NSF-funded Rubin Observatory Project Office for construction was established as an operating center under management of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA).  The DOE-funded effort to build the Rubin Observatory LSST Camera (LSSTCam) is managed by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC).
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science. NSF supports basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future.
NSF and DOE will continue to support Rubin Observatory in its Operations phase. They will also provide support for scientific research with LSST data.   




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