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The current largest digital CCD camera is that of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory¹ which has a whopping 3.2 gigapixels. The previous largest features on the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS), and has a resolution of ~1.4 gigapixels.[1]

Based on the spec sheet provided by the Vera Rubin Observatory, the LSST camera has a resolution of roughly 0.2 arcseconds per 10 $\mu$m pixel. It is about 5 feet (1.2 meters) wide and weighs over 6000 lbs (2721 kilos, $2.6\times10^9$ dyn).[2]

Cameras of this size often have pointing, calibration and recording issues. These sources of error are usually extremely well understood, but it's still interesting to see. Pan-STARRS has a detailed list on their data site[3]. These issues include:

• Randomly missing data that gets filled in later
• Pointing errors related to astrometric positions of their targets
• Registration issues near the celestial pole resulting in poor photometry

¹formerly known as the Large Synoptic Sky Survey or LSST. The acronym has now been repurposed: What is the LSST now? Where does LSST end and Vera C. Rubin Observatory begin?

The current largest digital CCD camera is that of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory¹ which has a whopping 3.2 gigapixels. The previous largest features on the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS), and has a resolution of ~1.4 gigapixels.[1]

Based on the spec sheet provided by the Vera Rubin Observatory, the LSST camera has a resolution of roughly 0.2 arcseconds per 10 $\mu$m pixel. It is about 5 feet (1.52 meters) wide and weighs over 6000 lbs (2721 kilos, $2.6\times10^9$ dyn).[2] The actual photosensitive portion of the camera is ~64 cm ($4\times10^{34}$ Planck lengths) across.

Cameras of this size often have pointing, calibration and recording issues. These sources of error are usually extremely well understood, but it's still interesting to see. Pan-STARRS has a detailed list on their data site[3]. These issues include:

• Randomly missing data that gets filled in later
• Pointing errors related to astrometric positions of their targets
• Registration issues near the celestial pole resulting in poor photometry

¹formerly known as the Large Synoptic Sky Survey or LSST. The acronym has now been repurposed: What is the LSST now? Where does LSST end and Vera C. Rubin Observatory begin?

The current largest digital CCD camera is that of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory¹ which has a whopping 3.2 gigapixels. The previous largest features on the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS), and has a resolution of ~1.4 gigapixels.[1]

Based on the spec sheet provided by the Vera Rubin Observatory, the LSST camera has a resolution of roughly 0.2 arcseconds per 10 $\mu$m pixel. It is about 5 feet (1.2 meters) wide and weighs over 6000 lbs (2721 kilos).[2]

Cameras of this size often have pointing, calibration and recording issues. These sources of error are usually extremely well understood, but it's still interesting to see. Pan-STARRS has a detailed list on their data site[3]. These issues include:

• Randomly missing data that gets filled in later
• Pointing errors related to astrometric positions of their targets
• Registration issues near the celestial pole resulting in poor photometry

¹formerly known as the Large Synoptic Sky Survey or LSST. The acronym has now been repurposed: What is the LSST now? Where does LSST end and Vera C. Rubin Observatory begin?

The current largest digital CCD camera is that of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory¹ which has a whopping 3.2 gigapixels. The previous largest features on the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS), and has a resolution of ~1.4 gigapixels.[1]

Based on the spec sheet provided by the Vera Rubin Observatory, the LSST camera has a resolution of roughly 0.2 arcseconds per 10 $\mu$m pixel. It is about 5 feet (1.2 meters) wide and weighs over 6000 lbs (2721 kilos, $2.6\times10^9$ dyn).[2]

Cameras of this size often have pointing, calibration and recording issues. These sources of error are usually extremely well understood, but it's still interesting to see. Pan-STARRS has a detailed list on their data site[3]. These issues include:

• Randomly missing data that gets filled in later
• Pointing errors related to astrometric positions of their targets
• Registration issues near the celestial pole resulting in poor photometry

¹formerly known as the Large Synoptic Sky Survey or LSST. The acronym has now been repurposed: What is the LSST now? Where does LSST end and Vera C. Rubin Observatory begin?

The current largest digital CCD camera is that of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory¹ which has a whopping 3.2 gigapixels. The previous largest features on the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS), and has a resolution of ~1.4 gigapixels.[1]

Based on the spec sheet provided by the Vera Rubin Observatory, the LSST camera has a resolution of roughly 0.2 arcseconds per 10 $\mu$m pixel. It is about 5 feet wide and weighs over 6000 lbs.[2]

Cameras of this size often have pointing, calibration and recording issues. These sources of error are usually extremely well understood, but it's still interesting to see. Pan-STARRS has a detailed list on their data site[3]. These issues include:

• Randomly missing data that gets filled in later
• Pointing errors related to astrometric positions of their targets
• Registration issues near the celestial pole resulting in poor photometry

¹formerly known as the Large Synoptic Sky Survey or LSST. The acronym has now been repurposed: What is the LSST now? Where does LSST end and Vera C. Rubin Observatory begin?

The current largest digital CCD camera is that of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory¹ which has a whopping 3.2 gigapixels. The previous largest features on the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS), and has a resolution of ~1.4 gigapixels.[1]

Based on the spec sheet provided by the Vera Rubin Observatory, the LSST camera has a resolution of roughly 0.2 arcseconds per 10 $\mu$m pixel. It is about 5 feet (1.2 meters) wide and weighs over 6000 lbs (2721 kilos).[2]

Cameras of this size often have pointing, calibration and recording issues. These sources of error are usually extremely well understood, but it's still interesting to see. Pan-STARRS has a detailed list on their data site[3]. These issues include:

• Randomly missing data that gets filled in later
• Pointing errors related to astrometric positions of their targets
• Registration issues near the celestial pole resulting in poor photometry

¹formerly known as the Large Synoptic Sky Survey or LSST. The acronym has now been repurposed: What is the LSST now? Where does LSST end and Vera C. Rubin Observatory begin?