Early-2025 activity on the mountaintop was largely removing ComCam, and integrating the final LSSTCam onto the telescope. Per my last update, that camera change has happened; time for another post. As observing is getting closer and closer, so too will the news come faster and faster.
Atop Chile’s Cerro Pachon, integration and initial testing of the telescope with LSSTCam has been proceeding for roughly two weeks now. The first test images were taken April 15; according to one project collaborator, first light has occurred (“première lumière”). Note, however, that the project claims (officially!) that true first light (not exercises) is still scheduled for this July. When that happens, first-light ceremonies are planned, including an official page (still a placeholder for now). There are also, confusingly, plans to separately release some test images, perhaps earlier than July (still TBC).
According to the Observatory’s own Forum posts, final adjustments and checkout of telescope and LSSTCam are going quite well. Out of 189 of the camera’s actual CCDs, 183 are in testing; the remaining six had electrical questions and were being held back out of excess precaution. Quite a bit of work to crack open the camera and replace a CCD, I bet. Last week, three of the suspect CCDs were returned to service. The >180 science detector arrays have given good results so far, being close to spec already, with just partial tuning and operation of the active optics system. (That’s active optics, not adaptive optics; Vera Rubin will neither use nor have adaptive optics.) And by close to spec, I mean final spec; some observations were already at the natural limit of the air atop the mountain. The purpose of the active optics system is to tweak the alignments so that the air, not the telescope, is the limit. Also, download of image data to off-mountain compute centers has been tested. Checks out so far.
…as to the question of funding, and political interference: we can sigh in relief all significant hardware is built and on-mountain. Has been since 2024. Any threat (TBC) is to staffing/hours, possibly server resources and data access (likely funding for scientists/engineers in the data pipeline). Fortunately, that had been diversified: postprocessing was already split with the UK, France, etc. Any loss of US talent and time might be juggled around with those partners, as well as lesser countries’ efforts.
Throwing a Vera Rubin First Light (or First Look?) party might be a bit much, but… looks like we’ll have something to celebrate in another few updates. Can’t wait.