Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias presents SELF telescope prototype

The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has presented progress on the Small ExoLife Finder (SELF) telescope at the CHASES 2026 international conference held on the Italian island of Elba.

SELF is a technological prototype designed to test new optical, mechanical, and control solutions for the direct observation of exoplanets. The experimental telescope has a diameter of approximately 3.5 meters and is constructed from 15 primary mirrors, each measuring half a meter, arranged in a circular structure.

Rather than competing with existing large-scale telescopes, the SELF project serves as a real-world validation platform for technologies intended to be scaled up for the future ExoLife Finder (ELF). The long-term scientific goal of the ELF concept is to obtain direct images of planets orbiting other stars to analyze their atmospheres and surfaces for potential biomarkers associated with life.