  Laboratory observations of vortex dynamics in Bose-Einstein condensates
(BECs) are essential for determination of many aspects of superfluid dynamics
in these systems. We present a novel application of dark-field imaging that
enables \texttt{\it in situ} detection of two-dimensional vortex distributions
in single-component BECs, a step towards real-time measurements of complex
two-dimensional vortex dynamics within a single BEC. By rotating a $^{87}$Rb
BEC in a magnetic trap, we generate a triangular lattice of vortex cores in the
BEC, with core diameters on the order of 400 nm and cores separated by
approximately 9 $\mu$m. We have experimentally confirmed that the positions of
the vortex cores can be determined without the need for ballistic expansion of
the BEC.

Quantum Gases;Optics