/ Vera Rubin Observatory Content for UC Davis en /blog/tony-tyson-sifting-through-cosmic-noise <p><span>In a dark, light-tight room on the fifth floor of the UC Davis Physics Building, researchers recreate the night sky. But the simulated sky isn’t projected onto a wall or ceiling. Instead, a large, tube-like device, housed in a transparent cage, uses a reticle mask, also known as a photomask, to achieve the simulation. Wires crisscross the instrument — known as an optical simulator — and liquid nitrogen cools it when it’s in use.</span></p> February 07, 2025 - 9:51am Andy Fell /blog/tony-tyson-sifting-through-cosmic-noise