Two Milky Way nebulas that lie several thousand light-years from Earth (Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory)

Astronomers and skywatchers around the world are celebrating the release of the first images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Unveiled on June 23, 2025, they mark a major milestone in the observatory's mission — to capture cosmic events as they unfold over the next ten years.