Bochum lights up the night: Images from the Rubin Observatory for the first time!

Bochum lights up the night: Images from the Rubin Observatory for the first time!

Great events cast their shadows ahead! On Tuesday, June 23, 2025, the Bochum Planetarium will be the first address for astronomy fans. Images from the newly opened Vera C. Rubin Observatory are presented here for the first time. This event is, so to speak, a small astronomical festival and also captivates over 250 selected locations worldwide. In Germany only four locations have been selected for the broadcast and Bochum is proud to shine as one of them.

The event in the Bochum Planetarium begins at 4:30 p.m. The renowned scientists Prof. Dr. Hendrik Hildebrandt and Prof. Dr. Susanne Hüttemeister provides an exciting overview of how the observatory works and its ambitious goals. Finally, at 5 p.m., the highlight of the afternoon will be presented: the first images taken with the observatory's impressive 3.2 billion pixel camera. Guests then have the opportunity to ask questions and exchange ideas directly with the experts.

A look into the future of astronomy

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located on Cerro Pachón mountain in Chile, will observe the southern sky with its largest digital camera in the world. The ambitions are high: the goal is to gain knowledge about dark matter and dark energy. The observatory not only wants to record millions of still unknown celestial objects, but also potentially dangerous asteroids near Earth. Continuous sky patterning allows their orbital movements to be precisely tracked, which is crucial to Earth's safety.

The scientific achievements of the Rubin Observatory are remarkable. With the ability to scan the sky every three nights and visit each galaxy about 800 times, the observatory promises a comprehensive galaxy survey. In particular, the analysis of the shapes of billions of galaxies is being revolutionized by the latest technologies. Compared to the Hubble and James Webb telescopes, the Rubin Observatory will be able to create a map of galaxies with exceptional precision and on a large scale, taking astronomy to a new level, such as technologyreview.com reports.

The meaning of Vera Rubin

The observatory's namesake, Vera Rubin, was a true pioneer in astronomy. She contributed significantly to the development of the idea of ​​dark matter in the universe. A born researcher, she built her first telescope with her father in 1938. Despite numerous hurdles and the rejection of her application to Princeton University, she prevailed and completed her master's degree at Cornell University. The impact of her work is still felt today and has had a lasting impact on science's view of the universe, as can be read on osr.org.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, has the potential to answer fundamental questions about the nature of dark matter and dark energy. In the coming years, his findings may provide a new perspective on the evolution of the cosmos.

Anyone who is in Bochum or the surrounding area and is interested in the secrets of the universe should not miss this event! The event at the planetarium is free and reservations can be made online, by email or even at the box office.