The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is the #1 priority for the astronomical community and supported for construction by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. At the heart of LSST is a unique mirror more than 27 feet across, providing the widest sky view ever achieved through a unique science and engineering design. The LSST Corporation celebrated the completion of that mirror, after six years of painstaking and exacting work, on January 10th in Tucson, Arizona. CIERA Director Vicky Kalogera attended the celebration as a representative of Northwestern University, an institutional member of the LSST Corporation. Vicky was joined by Judith Pierpont who was thrilled by the opportunity to visit the Mirror Lab and take “selfies” with the LSST mirror. The excitement around LSST was palpable; you can hear and see this excitement expressed by Charles Simonyi and Bill Gates, who are major LSST supporters who made the construction of this unique mirror possible.
