The Wide-field Spectroscopic Telescope (WST)

After the VLT and the ELT, for the 2040s ESO is planning to expand the horizons of astrophysical research through a new observing facility. The Wide-field Spectroscopic Telescope (WST) is a concept study for an innovative observatory that will push the boundaries of spectroscopic surveys. Its wide (3 sq. deg) field of view, a 30 000-object multi-object spectrograph with simultaneous medium and low-resolution multi-plex modes, and a panoramic (3×3 sq. arcmin) Integral Field Spectrograph will allow WST to achieve transformative results in all areas of astrophysics. The WST consortium includes 25 research institutes across 10 different countries, and INAF is making a major contribution in all fields of development, from the telescope and instrumentation to the science cases and survey planning. Researchers from all science and technological INAF RSNs can be involved in the WST project.
With this ‘Astrochiacchera’, we would like to introduce the WST to the Observatory, welcome any contributions, input, and new ideas, and discuss how to get involved in the project.