The European Solar Telescope (EST) will be installed in the Canary Islands and is expected to start observing the Sun’s activity in 2027, filling the gaps in current space and terrestrial tools. The project could play an important role in preventing and mitigating the impact of solar storms on Earth.
Portugal’s representation in this project begins at the Portuguese Space Agency – Portugal Space – which was invited to join the board of the international consortium responsible for EST. The creation of this infrastructure involves 30 institutions from 18 different countries and will be fundamental to help Europe transform our knowledge of the complex phenomenons that drive solar magnetic activity.
With about 4 meters, this will be the largest solar telescope in Europe and is under the coordination of the Canary Islands Astrophysics Institute (IAC). EST deployment will be crucial to understanding solar magnetic activity and the impact of solar winds and storms on Earth.
