Rubin Observatory will produce the deepest, widest, image of the Universe. To find out what Rubin will observe in detail see the Observing Strategy page https://www.lsst.org/scientists/survey-design and key numbers https://www.lsst.org/scientists/keynumbers.
Rubin Observatory is designed to achieve multiple scientific goals from a single survey. The four primary scientific drivers of Rubin Observatory are:
These are available as monthly updates here: https://www.lsst.org/about/project-status
The Rubin Observatory/LSST Science Collaborations are self-organized, self-managed groups of scientists which are recognized by Rubin Observatory as reservoirs of expertise and as stakeholders in Rubin Observatory strategic decisions. They have a direct line of communication with the Rubin Observatory team (i.e. the Project during construction) through resources supported by the LSST Corporation (e.g. a slack channel, dedicated community pages, and the existence of a Coordinator). The Science Collaborations also have a standing committee on the LSSTC Executive Board. The Science Collaborations, however, have no privileged access to Rubin Observatory data or software. All scientists that have Rubin Observatory data rights are welcome to apply to join one or more SCs, but membership rules, including requirements for acceptance within a SC, are established independently by each SC.
Each SC has its own rules for membership and application. Please look at the site of the SC you are interested in joining for details - LSST Science Collaborations
Being part of a Science Collaboration allows more direct communication with the Project and enables you to get most recent updates. By becoming a member, you can influence Rubin Observatory project choices, communicate with Data Management team and use software, tools, simulations, and data products developed by the collaboration.
Researchers can monitor the LSSTC Enabling Science calls for proposals: https://www.lsstcorporation.org/enabling-science.
The Rubin Observatory nightly/daily data products will include (1) within 60 seconds of the end of exposure, alerts on sources that change by >= 5-sigma, and (2) after 24 hours, images and source catalogs from difference imaging and orbits of moving objects. The yearly data releases will include global, uniform processing of all the data taken from the start of the survey, yielding stacked, calibrated images, source catalogs, and light curves.
Rubin Observatory will also enable the generation of data products by the community to fulfill the requirement of specific science cases.
The detailed data rights policy is under review; a working group is refining how this will work in detail.
(NOTE: Current data access policy draft is at https://ls.st/LPM-261, it is not yet approved and not yet public.)
The general idea is that US and Chilean professional astronomers will have data rights, as well as named individuals from international partners. Data access happens through a data access center (DAC). Currently planned DACs are at NCSA, at CC-IN2P3, and in Chile; additional DACs are under consideration in other participating countries.
See also the overview of how to participate.
It is foreseen that Rubin Observatory data will become fully public after two years. The issue of how the public data can be accessed and how this access could be funded is still in the works.
There is a Rubin Observatory Project publication policy for technical papers and data release papers.
Each Rubin Observatory/LSST Science Collaboration may have its own publication policy for science papers. Authors should consult the how to cite guide to reference relevant technical/data release papers.
Rubin Observatory Builder Status is obtained when an individual has accumulated 2 full time equivalent years of direct effort in the design, development, fabrication, construction and/or commissioning of Rubin Observatory. The publication policy states that “All relevant Builders will automatically be invited to join the list of contributing authors of Rubin Observatory Project papers that depend on areas to which the Builder contributed.“
Each Science Collaboration is free to define a builder status consistent with its own publication policy. For instance, DESC defines in its publication policy what is a DESC Builder and specific rights for Rubin Observatory builders that are also DESC full members.
If you are not listed in the Builder Status list and believe you have achieved builder status, you can petition for the status.
Rubin Observatory publication policy.
This will be clarified in the coming data rights document (https://ls.st/LPM-261).
Here's our statement addressing the issue of satellite constellations: https://ls.st/satcon
The main survey occupies more than two-thirds of the telescope’s observing time to observe the sky south of 0 degrees Dec. This wide-field survey is deep and observed frequently. The exact survey design is not finalized, but there are requirements and there exists candidate simulations. See the overview of survey observing strategy.
The main survey (see question above) of Rubin Observatory is sometimes referred to as the Wide Fast Deep survey, reflecting the observing objectives of the survey design.
Cadence will be determined before the survey starts operation in the second half of 2021. In November the science community is invited to submit cadence proposals and metrics to evaluate how the cadence affects particular science cases. The process of how the white papers will be considered for simulations and cadence decisions is documented in the white paper proposal call. See the overview of survey observing strategy.
Mini-surveys are portions of the sky that will be observed with a different cadence than the main survey, but not necessarily to a greater depth, to address science goals beyond the scope of the main survey, such as coverage of the Galactic Plane, Ecliptic, or South Pole. See the overview of survey observing strategy.
Deep Drilling Fields (DDF) are single pointings (aside from dithering). They will be visited with a different cadence, producing a longer-term deeper cumulative depth. There will be between 5 and 10 DDF, depending on how much time is required by the main survey to accomplish the main LSST goals, and how much time is spent on Mini-surveys. Thus, DDF should be iconic fields, with unique properties that justify the pointing choice, and the cadence should be optimized for the science goal of each field selection. Mini-surveys are surveys of portions of the sky (>1pointing) that will be observed with a different cadence compared to WFD, but not necessarily to a deeper total depth. See the overview of survey observing strategy.
Four DDF fields have already been selected. There will be between 5 and 10 DDF, depending on how much time is required by the main survey to accomplish the main LSST goals and how much time is spent on Mini-surveys.
The structure is available here.
From time to time we do have opportunities for Interns: see the hiring overview.
The Rubin Observatory Project includes all members of the Rubin team that are supported by the DOE and NSF grants for construction of Rubin Observatory. As construction ends and operations begin, the members of the Rubin Observatory team and their roles will change.
The LSST Corporation (LSSTC) is a not-for-profit 501(c) Arizona corporation founded in 2003 with the goal to initiate the LSST project, and to advance the science of astronomy and physics. LSSTC raised over $50 million in the Design Development phase of the Rubin Observatory project and continues to raise funds that enable science and educational initiatives in preparation for Rubin Observatory.
Since their initial creation circa 2006 by the Project, the Science Collaborations (SCs) have become independent bodies that are self-organized and self-managed. Rules and charters, including publication policy and detailed membership requirements, are established independently by each SC with the only overarching rule that only data rights holders can become a member of one (or more) Rubin Observatory/LSST SCs. The SCs are supported by LSSTC who provides web-hosting services, a communication platform (Slack), and a Science Collaborations Coordinator to facilitate communication between the SCs and the Project as well as SCs and LSSTC. The SCs have regular meetings with members of the Rubin Observatory Project.
The Science Advisory Committee (SAC) provides a formal, two-way, connection to the external science community served by Rubin Observatory. Comprised of scientists familiar with but external to the LSST Project, the SAC advises the Rubin Observatory Director on both policy questions and technical topics of interest to the Project and the science community.
You could post your question on the Community Forum or send a message using our Contact Form.
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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