The Dark Energy Survey

The Dark Energy Survey Collaboration will soon begin a 5000 sq. deg. imaging survey of the southern galactic cap using a new 520 Megapixel CCD camera, the Dark Energy Camera, with 5 filters (g,r,i,z and Y) mounted on the Blanco 4-meter telescope at Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory. The data will be used to place new and tight constraints on the nature of dark energy via the history of the cosmic expansion rate and the growth of large-scale structure, using the four complementary techniques recommended by the Dark Energy Task Force: weak gravitational lensing, galaxy cluster counts, large-scale structure including baryon acoustic oscillations, and Type Ia supernovae. Installation of the new camera and commissioning on the telescope will take place in early-mid 2012 with the expectation that the survey will begin in late 2012. The science projections and prospects will be described.