VRubinObs, 1 year ago

We're feeling exposed 🫣

Our staff recently removed a yellow cross-shaped "surrogate" mass from the telescope mount to make way for the real primary mirror cell!

The primary mirror isn't installed yet, though. For now, the cell has a metal surrogate mirror to use in testing.

The Rubin mirror cell surrogate mass on the platform lift. The surrogate mass is a criss-crossing structure of yellow steel. The mass is about as tall as a person, but several times larger in the other two dimensions. The observatory platform lift is a huge, open elevator used to transport large equipment. The lift is at its highest level, meaning that the portion of the building roof above it has been raised as well
Rubin's telescope mount suspended on its steel axis with the yellow cross-shaped surrogate mass attached beneath. The mount is an cylindrical open structure made of teal steel. Two large rings at the top are separated by a gap and held up by beams on the side. The mount base is a much thicker steel block with a circular opening for the eventual primary mirror.