The JST250 telescope is offered, for the first time, to the astrophysical community for the development of new research studies. The most powerful scientific tool of the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre (OAJ) offers 200 hours of observation for which international scientific projects will compete. Proposals can be submitted until 15 April 2025. This is the first call for what is known as ‘Open Time’ and already at the preparatory congress in November there were almost fifty interested parties. The CEFCA team has had to develop an observational tool specifically designed for the implementation of these projects. The complexity of the JST250 makes this intermediation necessary. Thus, the researchers will determine the area and the observation guidelines and it will be the OAJ's team of operators who will put it into practice. They configure what is called the ‘observation strategy’. It should be noted that to observe just 5 square degrees of the sky, approximately 324 shots are needed with this telescope.

The camera of the JST250 is the only one in the world with 56 filters, capable of capturing light in very narrow wavelength ranges. The combination of a telescope with a 2.5-metre diameter mirror and this camera enables it to record objects at great distances and measure how far away we are from them. It is also one of the largest cameras in the world: the JPCam has 1.2 billion pixels.

Designed to produce one of the largest three-dimensional mappings of the sky (the J-PAS project, led by CEFCA), the large Javalambre telescope is now embarking on a new path that will allow it to develop its full potential. Its ability to focus on new objectives makes it possible from the study of the Solar System to the investigation of the distant universe. The competing projects will launch new fields of study, with teams that will contribute their experience in this research.

‘It is very beneficial for us because it opens up new avenues of research,’ explains Javier Zaragoza, head of Science Operations, for whom ’it opens the doors of our telescope to explore other objects and other parts of the universe that have not occurred to us or with which we have no experience.

The proposals, which can be submitted from today until 15 April, will be assessed by the so-called ‘Time Allocation Committee’ (CAT). This is an external scientific committee that will evaluate parameters such as the quality and scientific impact of the proposals. It will also consider whether the proposal is realistic and technically feasible. Details of the call for proposals are available on the CEFCA website.

JST250 was ‘accepted’ in February 2016. A technical process involving verification through technical tests and the performance of a fine optical alignment allowed to check the image quality over the entire field of view of the telescope. From there, the installation of the Pathfinder test camera and, subsequently, JPCam began. This call culminates and forms part of the process developed by the OAJ as one of the 29 Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructures recognised by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.