Images from the Dark Energy Camera before (left) and after (right) a supernova explosion in a galaxy about 2 billion light-years away. The Dark Energy Survey (DES) collaboration has captured images of 176 star explosions, called supernovae, including 16 that occurred farther than 7 billion light-years away and when the universe was only about half as old as it is today. A new type of CCD detector contained in the Dark Energy Camera enabled identification of the distant supernovae, making…
Brenna Flaugher, project manager for the Dark Energy Camera, wrote this week’s column. Brenna Flaugher The construction, delivery and testing of the 570-megapixel Dark Energy Camera, led by Fermilab to study dark energy, is complete, on budget and on schedule. This is a big success and testament to the dedication and skills of the Fermilab staff and the collaborating institutions. Over the past year we delivered all the pieces of the camera to our collaborators at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American…