Rubin Observatory unveiled a stacked deep image of the COSMOS field containing more than 500,000 galaxies and over 50,000 stars, marking the first phase of its Early Data Preview 2 release.
The image was built from hundreds of observations taken between April 2025 and January 2026 with Rubin’s 3.2-gigapixel LSST Camera, giving astronomers an unusually clear view into the distant Universe.
EDP2 also delivers a deep co-added image covering 3,000 square degrees—about one-sixth of the visible Southern Hemisphere sky—to help the Rubin science community test tools and validate data products.
COSMOS is a long-studied field first observed by Hubble in 2003, and Rubin says repeated visits there will add time-domain data on supernovae and other variable or explosive events.
A second EDP2 phase is planned for October-December 2026 with individual and difference-image products, while current access is limited to authorized researchers before public release after a two-year proprietary period.
With the world's largest digital camera tracking millions of galaxies, what hidden explosive cosmic events will this cinematic survey finally reveal?
As Rubin's massive 3.2-gigapixel camera peers into the COSMOS field, could its unprecedented time-lapse data fundamentally rewrite our understanding of galaxy evolution?
What mysterious transient objects might currently be hiding behind the two-year proprietary wall of Rubin's unprecedented cosmic dataset?
The 10-Year, 500-Petabyte Legacy Survey of Space and Time: Rubin Observatory’s New Era of Cosmic Discovery
Overview
On July 31, 2026, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory released its Early Data Preview 2, showcasing a groundbreaking ultra-deep image of the COSMOS field. This achievement gives scientists and the public an unprecedentedly clear view of the distant universe and allows immediate comparison with decades of previous observations, validating the observatory’s performance. The success of this release proves that Rubin’s complex data pipelines are ready for the massive Legacy Survey of Space and Time. With advanced technology and global access through the Rubin Science Platform, researchers everywhere can now explore the evolving universe and tackle mysteries like dark energy.