Vera C. Rubin Observatory releases deep COSMOS field image with over 650,000 galaxies

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile unveiled a new deep image of the COSMOS field, captured with its 3.2‑gigapixel LSST Camera mounted on the 8.4‑meter Simonyi Survey Telescope at Cerro Pachón. The mosaic shows more than 650,000 galaxies and over 50,000 stars, providing a detailed view of a region that lies away from the Milky Way’s dusty plane.

The image is part of the Early Data Preview 2 (EDP2) release, compiled from observations taken between April 2025 and January 2026 during the observatory’s testing phase. In addition to the extragalactic view, the survey identified 2,104 previously unknown asteroids in the Solar System. Rubin Observatory Director Bob Blum said the COSMOS image is only the beginning of what the facility will deliver for studies of transient phenomena, galaxy evolution and other cosmic research.