China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists

China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, will be available for global service from April 1.

Photo taken on Jan. 11, 2020 shows China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) under maintenance in southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

The National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the operator of the telescope, confirmed Monday that scientists across the world can make online appointments for using the device for observation from April 1. An allotted timetable will be available by Aug. 1.

Jiang Peng, chief engineer of FAST with NAOC, said in the first year of the telescope's opening to the global scientific community, about 10 percent of the observation time will be allocated to foreign scientists.

"Chinese scientists also need to comply with the online application formality," Jiang said.

Located in a deep and round karst depression in southwest China's Guizhou Province, FAST is believed to be the world's most sensitive radio telescope. It started formal operations on Jan. 11, 2020.