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January 07, 2020

NSF Announces Designation of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

(Washington, DC) – Yesterday, at the 235th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Honolulu, Hawai’i, the National Science Foundation officially announced the designation of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), a National Science Foundation and Department of Energy funded facility under construction in northern Chile, as the “Vera C. Rubin Observatory.” The legislation calling for this designation, H.R. 3196, the “Vera C. Rubin Observatory Designation Act” was introduced by Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) and was signed into law by the president late last month.

“I am delighted to hear that yesterday the National Science Foundation announced the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope in northern Chile will be designated as the ‘Vera C. Rubin Observatory,’” said Chairwoman Johnson. “A role model for so many, Dr. Vera Rubin was a renowned astronomer and advocate for women in science who revolutionized our understanding of the universe. It is only fitting that this telescope is named after Dr. Rubin; as we move forward in exploration and discovery, we must remember the trailblazers who have helped us get to where we are today and where we will advance tomorrow.”

“Dr. Vera Rubin changed the way we understand the universe,” said Rep. González-Colón. “Her groundbreaking work on dark matter and galaxy rotations remain at the forefront of STEM research in the field of astronomy. Her legacy will now be memorialized in the new Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Observatory in Chile and will continue to influence future generations of scientists. I am proud to have introduced this bill alongside Chairwoman Johnson and very much look forward to the great work this facility will produce by researchers like Dr. Rubin.”