MOTHRA: The World's Largest All-Lens Telescope Aiming to Map the Cosmic Web

Construction has commenced on MOTHRA, an innovative telescope designed to map the cosmic web, a vast structure of gas and dark matter connecting galaxies. Once completed, MOTHRA will be the largest all-lens telescope globally, utilizing 1,140 Canon telephoto lenses to create a distributed aperture system. This telescope is being developed at the El Sauce Observatory in Chile, with full operations expected by the end of 2026. The project is spearheaded by Dragonfly FRO, a research initiative launched in 2025, and funded by Alex Gerko, founder and CEO of XTX Markets, alongside support from Convergent Research.

Interesting EngineeringThe Independent

MOTHRA's design builds upon the earlier Dragonfly Telephoto Array concept, which demonstrated the capability of clusters of telephoto lenses to detect faint cosmic structures often overlooked by conventional telescopes. The telescope employs ultra-narrowband filters to isolate faint light emitted by hydrogen gas drifting between galaxies. According to Pieter van Dokkum, Co-Founder of Dragonfly FRO, "MOTHRA is a telescope designed around a single idea: maximize discovery space for the dim glow of intergalactic gas." This innovative approach aims to enhance the sensitivity and field of view, allowing astronomers to capture signals previously deemed undetectable.

Interesting EngineeringThe Independent

The cosmic web represents the largest structure in the universe, consisting of filaments of gas shaped by dark matter that link galaxies across immense distances. These structures began forming shortly after the Big Bang, with gravity pulling matter into a web-like pattern over billions of years. MOTHRA's primary objective is to detect the faint glow of hydrogen trapped within this network, enabling astronomers to map the cosmic web directly and study the movement of matter through its strands.

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The funding for MOTHRA has been significantly bolstered by Alex Gerko, who expressed pride in supporting a project that aims to generate long-term scientific value. Gerko noted, "Breakthrough instruments developed at speed often require new approaches — organizationally and technically." Dragonfly FRO operates as a Focused Research Organization, a model designed to tackle major scientific challenges efficiently, akin to a startup rather than a traditional academic lab.

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Upon completion, MOTHRA is expected to provide unprecedented insights into the faint structures that shape the universe. Roberto Abraham, Co-Founder of Dragonfly FRO, emphasized the project's ambition, stating, "This is an ambitious project to build something astronomers have wanted for a long time: a practical way to directly see the cosmic web." Researchers anticipate that MOTHRA will begin scientific observations shortly after its construction finishes in 2026, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of the universe's architecture.

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• “MOTHRA is a telescope designed around a single idea: maximize discovery space for the dim glow of intergalactic gas,” — Pieter van Dokkum, Co-Founder of Dragonfly FRO

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• “This is an ambitious project to build something astronomers have wanted for a long time: a practical way to directly see the cosmic web,” — Roberto Abraham, Co-Founder of Dragonfly FRO

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• “Breakthrough instruments developed at speed often require new approaches — organizationally and technically,” — Alex Gerko, Founder and CEO of XTX Markets

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MOTHRA represents a significant advancement in astronomical research, with the potential to unlock new knowledge about the universe's fundamental structures.

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