Why Join LSSTC?

An unprecedented movie of the sky is about to be filmed

After decades of planning and construction, Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) is about to begin. This 10-year long experiment will soon start making an unprecedented movie of half of the sky, tracking changes from night to night and peering ever deeper into the Universe. In its first year,

Rubin’s LSST will map more of the universe at optical wavelengths than all previous maps of the Universe combined.

LSST will be used for studies of the deep and dynamic universe. With it, astronomers will address fundamental questions: questions of origins - how our own Solar System formed, the history of the Milky Way galaxy, how the Universe changes with time; and questions of nature - what is dark matter and how to describe dark energy.

Rubin’s LSST will be a dominating force in the astrophysics landscape through the 2030’s, and could be the most productive scientific experiment of all time.

A new way of doing science is needed to fulfill this potential

In support of these science goals, LSST will deliver science-ready data to thousands of scientists around the world, without any proprietary period. However, answering scientific questions with LSST presents previously unsolved challenges in astrophysics. LSST is big data. Open data and software. All on an unprecedented scale. Every 40 seconds - LSST will take a picture of a new patch of the sky the equivalent size of 40 full moons. To view a single picture in full resolution will require more than 100 ultra-HDTVs. Every 40 seconds - LSST will alert scientists and the public around the world to where and how the sky has changed that night.

The LSST Corporation is pioneering this new way of doing science

LSSTC is a worldwide coalition of institutions with shared goals and values for Rubin’s LSST. We are working together to achieve outcomes that a single institution could not achieve alone. Our programs:

provide scientists with access to LSSTC-specific funds, community-wide tools, and funded programs designed to maximize LSST science;

connect a diverse range of academic and research institutions to build networks of inclusive scientific excellence that bridge traditional boundaries;
develop a diverse cadre of scientific leaders through fellowships, training programs, summer programs, and workshops
establish hubs of interdisciplinary collaboration at the interface of astronomy, physics, computer science, mathematics, and data science

A pdf with membership information material can be downloaded here.

LSSTC Catalyst Fellowship