Physics teacher Sibyl is a Rubin Summer Star

Sibyl Kadel, who teaches physics to students in years P7 to S6 at Moffat Academy, is back in the classroom after an out-this world experience among the high peaks of Arizona. Having won a prized place on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Summer Stars Program, Sibyl travelled to the United States in July to learn how a global astronomy project – the Vera C. Rubin Observatory – can help pupils in Scotland and beyond learn more about the Universe and acquire important STEAM skills.

The annual ‘Summer Stars Program: Teaching with NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory’ is open to educators who teach astronomy as part of their curriculum. Sibyl’s place was sponsored by LSST:UK, the UK’s scientific contribution to the Rubin Observatory. Named for the pioneering American astronomer Vera Rubin, who provided the first convincing evidence for the existence of dark matter, the Rubin Observatory houses the world’s biggest digital camera, which will take detailed images of the southern hemisphere sky for 10 years. This sky survey is known as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). After more than three decades of planning – and collaboration by thousands of people around the world – the LSST officially launched on 30 June 2026.

As the only participant from outside North America, Sibyl joined middle-, high-school and college teachers to get to grips with open-access learning resources developed by the cutting-edge, US-led Rubin project. The group also spent time at the U.S. National Science Foundation Kitt Peak National Observatory, located at the highest point in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert. The site has one of the largest collections of astronomical instruments in the northern hemisphere and is home to the Rubin Control Room.

Visiting the Control Room was one of the highlights for Sibyl, who was able to meet scientists working with data that arrives directly from Cerro Pachón in Chile, the site of the Rubin Observatory. The Chilean mountaintop was chosen for its perfect conditions for astronomy – high, remote and dry. “It was great to meet some of the people involved in Rubin and learn about their different roles,” she said. “I remember giving a talk on dark matter when I was at university, so it was exciting to meet people who are putting theory into practice. Throughout the week, there was a real emphasis on the breadth of expertise needed for a project like Rubin, and how STEAM careers can be available to people with a wide range of skills and knowledge.”

The summer school participants had a chance to work with open-access classroom tools developed by the Rubin Education Program; covering engaging topics, the 'Investigations' include Exploding Stars, Hazardous Asteroids and Stellar Safari. 

Now that Sibyl is back in Moffat, Europe’s first Dark Sky Town, she is looking forward to sharing what she’s learned. “The resources are really accessible,” she said. “They’ll help my students learn in a visual way to understand common astronomy topics while working with genuine Rubin data.”

For Sibyl, one of the most commendable aspects of the Rubin Observatory is how the project is sharing the information it captures:  “It’s so impressive that the data has been made public so that anyone can use it,” she said. “It’s incredible – given all the work that’s gone into creating Rubin – that it’s being given back to humanity. That fills me with hope and awe.”

Bob Mann, Professor of Survey Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, is the Project Leader for UK participation in the Rubin LSST: He said: “The Rubin LSST should have an impact beyond the small community of professional astronomers. The public can participate in LSST-based research through citizen science initiatives using the UK-led Zooniverse platform and we really hope that Sibyl is just the first of many UK teachers to use the educational resources produced by the Rubin Observatory in their classrooms. It would be great if these activities using LSST data inspired a few of Sibyl's pupils to study astronomy, but I am sure that they will help many more develop skills that could benefit them in a range of future careers."