Short Wave This Telescope Could Find "Planet 9"
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Apr 25, 2025 
Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR's science correspondent, dives into groundbreaking advancements at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. This powerful telescope is set to scan the southern sky over the next decade, potentially unveiling the mysterious 'Planet 9.' Greenfieldboyce discusses the challenges scientists face while searching for this elusive planet and the innovative technologies being employed. With its ambitious mission to reveal hidden celestial movements, the observatory could revolutionize our understanding of astronomy and dark matter.
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Revolutionary Sky Survey Telescope
- The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a survey telescope designed to scan almost the entire southern sky continuously for 10 years.
- This unprecedented data capture allows for real-time detection of any changes or movements in the sky, a major leap in astronomy.
Inception of the Rubin Observatory
- In 1996, scientist Tony Tyson envisioned a larger digital camera to survey the sky more comprehensively.
- He pushed for building a giant telescope-camera system that could collect massive amounts of data using computing technology emerging at that time.
Astronomy's Data Mining Revolution
- The Rubin Observatory will generate about 10 million alerts nightly for changes it detects in the sky.
- Astronomers will shift their methods from focused observations to data mining vast quantities of real-time sky data.