Brazilian Technology Will Integrate the Construction of the World's Largest Optical and Infrared Telescope; Learn What It Will Discover

Brazilian Technology Will Integrate the Construction of the World’s Largest Optical and Infrared Telescope; Learn What It Will Discover

Written by Ruth Rodrigues

Published on 05/12/2025 at 18:54

O Brasil contribui para o desenvolvimento do MOSAIC, instrumento do Telescópio Extremamente Grande, que promete revolucionar a astronomia mundial. Foto: ESO/L. Calçada

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Brazil Contributes to the Development of MOSAIC, Instrument of the World’s Largest Telescope, Which Promises to Revolutionize Global Astronomy.

The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which will be the largest optical and infrared telescope on the planet, will have significant participation from Brazil in the development of one of its main instruments.

The country will be responsible for MOSAIC, a multi-object spectrograph that will allow the observation of hundreds of stars and galaxies simultaneously, opening new possibilities for the study of the universe.

The installation of the telescope is underway in the Atacama Desert, Chile, with operation expected by the end of the decade.

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MOSAIC: Brazilian Participation in the ELT Drives a New Era of Astronomical Discoveries

The MOSAIC will allow the study of multiple targets simultaneously, observing up to 140 objects at medium resolution and 80 at high resolution.

According to Beatriz Barbuy, a professor at IAG/USP, “it would be unfeasible to make individual observations when there are several targets in the same region of the sky.”

The instrument divides light into visible and infrared bands, helping to identify chemical elements, measure movements of stars and galaxies, and understand the formation of cosmic structures.

With this technology, researchers will be able to observe very distant and faint objects, overcoming the limitations of current telescopes and complementing discoveries made by the James Webb Telescope.

Brazil will be responsible for the Instrument Core System, the mechanical core of MOSAIC. It includes the structural platform, the rotator — which follows the Earth’s movement — and the support for optical units and fibers.

Everything needs to operate with extreme precision: “There can be no movement greater than 50 microns in a structure of about 25 tons,” explains Barbuy.

This cutting-edge engineering ensures that targets remain stable during long observations, essential for accurate and reliable measurements.

Brazil contributes to the development of MOSAIC, the instrument of the Extremely Large Telescope, which promises to revolutionize global astronomy. Photo: ESO/L. Calçada — Photo: ESO/L. Calçada

Scientific Impact and Future of the Telescope Project

The Extremely Large Telescope will have the largest mirror ever built for optical observation, allowing for unprecedented studies of the cosmos.

The MOSAIC is expected to start operating between 2032 and 2035, with completion projected for 2039.

Brazilian participation puts the country in the spotlight in the international scene of astronomical instrumentation.

“Brazil will have cutting-edge engineering and optics, ensuring active presence in the evolution of scientific instrumentation,” affirms Barbuy.

With the ELT and MOSAIC, Brazilian researchers will have access to unprecedented observations of distant galaxies, very faint stars, and regions of the universe never before studied.

The national contribution to the project reinforces Brazil’s prominence in global science and consolidates the country’s technological capacity for future astronomical challenges.

Source: Galileu Magazine

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Brazilian Technology Will Integrate the Construction of the World’s Largest Optical and Infrared Telescope; Learn What It Will Discover

Brazil Contributes to the Development of MOSAIC, Instrument of the World’s Largest Telescope, Which Promises to Revolutionize Global Astronomy.

MOSAIC: Brazilian Participation in the ELT Drives a New Era of Astronomical Discoveries

Scientific Impact and Future of the Telescope Project

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Brazilian Technology Will Integrate the Construction of the World’s Largest Optical and Infrared Telescope; Learn What It Will Discover

Brazil Contributes to the Development of MOSAIC, Instrument of the World’s Largest Telescope, Which Promises to Revolutionize Global Astronomy.

MOSAIC: Brazilian Participation in the ELT Drives a New Era of Astronomical Discoveries

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In the cold desert of Ladakh, where it hardly rains, engineer Sonam Wangchuk created the ice stupa, a tower that freezes winter water and stores it for irrigating crops in the spring, a simple engineering feat that mimics nature.

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