MOTHRA in Chile detects dying star gas entering Milky Way
Technology
A not-yet-finished telescope in Chile, called MOTHRA, made a surprise discovery while still being tested; it caught gas clouds from a dying star merging into the Milky Way.
This rare find shows how elements like carbon and oxygen get reused to make new stars, planets, and maybe even life itself.
MOTHRA images 22 Helix Nebula arcs
Even with less than 200 of its targeted 1,140 camera lenses mounted, MOTHRA snapped images of 22 faint arcs, basically cosmic wakes, around the Helix Nebula. These reveal how star material spreads out over thousands of years.
Funded by XTX Markets founder and CEO Alex Gerko and based at El Sauce Observatory, MOTHRA plans to fully launch by the end of this year to map the web connecting galaxies.