Rubin observatory peers deep into the famous COSMOS field

The Rubin Observatory has captured the most detailed image of the COSMOS field, a region in the constellation Sextans, using its LSST Camera. The image, released as part of Rubin's Early Data Preview 2 (EDP2), features over 50,000 individual stars and more than 50,000 galaxies. The observatory's deep field includes a variety of galaxy types, such as barred spirals, smooth ellipticals, and faint red galaxies. The image was created by stacking hundreds of individual observations from the 3.2-gigapixel LSST Camera. The observatory's sensitivity and high resolution allow astronomers to study distant galaxies and track how the universe has evolved over time.

The COSMOS field has been studied for over two decades, with many of the world's leading telescopes observing it in different wavelengths. The Rubin Observatory's image is the first time the LSST Camera produced an image and catalog for scientific research. Phil Marshall, the deputy director of the Rubin Observatory, emphasized the importance of the COSMOS field for LSST science, noting its wealth of prior observations and repeated targeting both during commissioning and as one of LSST's deep fields. The image provides a dynamic view that complements earlier observations and enables astronomers to study distant galaxies and track cosmic changes over time.

The image was released to coincide with EDP2, the first phase of Rubin's Data Preview 2, which includes observations from April 2025 to January 2026. The observatory's repeated visits to the field over the next few years will demonstrate the power of its survey design for discovery, providing a huge number of transient and variable objects like supernovae for follow-up and detailed study. The image allows observatories to obtain sharper views of the cosmos, seeing farther into space and farther back in time. This enables astronomers to study galaxies and the structure of the universe during different periods of its evolution.

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