The Govern has allocated €10 million to a planned new large telescope at the Montsec Observatory in Sant Esteve de la Sarga, Pallars Jussà, according to Europa Press. The project is scheduled to enter operation in 2030.
For Pallars Jussà, the investment would add a major new scientific instrument to the Montsec site, which already hosts facilities for astronomical research, satellite communications and atmospheric measurements. The Observatory is managed by the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC).
A further instrument at the Montsec site
The planned large telescope is distinct from TRAC, the Wide Field Fast Telescope installed at the Observatory in May 2025. According to the IEEC, TRAC has a 40-centimetre diameter and is intended for astrophysical research and the development of space-related technologies.
TRAC is also designed to observe potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids and track satellites and space debris. It complements the Joan Oró Telescope, operated by the IEEC, and the Fabra-ROA Montsec Telescope, owned by the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona and the Spanish Navy Observatory.
Funding and information
- Allocation: €10 million, according to Europa Press.
- Location: Montsec Observatory, Sant Esteve de la Sarga, Pallars Jussà.
- Planned operation: 2030.
- Existing recent addition: the 40-centimetre TRAC wide-field telescope, installed in May 2025.
Residents and visitors seeking information about the Observatory's instruments and scientific activity can consult the Montsec Observatory website.
Reported by Source Text Link, europapress.es, Quim Portet, ifae.es, jcasals, Whads, montsec.ieec.cat, IEEC.
