Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time

Dark Energy Science Collaboration


Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) is the international science collaboration that will make high accuracy measurements of fundamental cosmological parameters using data from the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).

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For the first ten years of operation, Vera C. Rubin Observatory will perform the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) , using the 3.2 Gigapixel Rubin Observatory LSST Camera and the 8.4-m Simonyi Survey Telescope. Rubin Observatory is under construction by the US National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy. Construction of the camera is managed by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, while the observatory is under construction on its mountain-top site at Cerro Pachon, Chile. Work toward meeting the LSST science goals is being carried out by the Rubin Observatory LSST Science Collaborations.

LSST DESC is the international science collaboration that will make high accuracy measurements of fundamental cosmological parameters using data from the LSST.


1100+ members in 20+ countries, 80 published papers to date

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DESC's Objectives

Accurate Cosmology

We research new methods for obtaining state-of-the-art, robust cosmology constraints that will take best advantage of the full statistical precision of the LSST data.

A Vibrant and Inclusive Scientific Community

We work hard to maintain a positive and respectful collaborative working environment.

Meeting LSST's Big Data Challenge

Together we build robust, high-throughput software pipelines to simulate, re-process and analyze images and catalogs at LSST scale.

Learning Continuously from Each Other

Watch one of our DE School sessions:


DESC acknowledges ongoing support from the US Department of Energy, IN2P3 (France), the STFC (United Kingdom), and the NSF and LSST Discovery Alliance (United States).