Switzerland is working toward the development of the Zermatt Millimeter Telescope (ZMT). The main goal of the project is to participate in the observations of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration, and the next-generation Event Horizon Telescope (ngEHT), while also exploring possible contributions to other international projects and observing networks such as the Global mm-VLBI Array (GMVA).
The first ZMT Community Meeting will take place from 12 to 13 October 2026 at the Swiss Polar Institute in Sion, Switzerland. It will bring together members of the Swiss scientific community, technical experts, key stakeholders, and external partners. Invited speakers from other telescope projects will share their experience and knowledge, which will help us identify important lessons and possibilities for the ZMT.
During the meeting, we will discuss the science cases of particular interest to the Swiss community and the technical requirements needed to address them. The program will cover the telescope design, frontend and backend systems, site infrastructure, data processing, and the operational challenges of running a millimeter telescope in an Alpine environment.
One of the main outcomes of this first meeting will be a community white paper presenting the scientific vision, priority science cases, technical requirements, and potential international contributions of the Zermatt Millimeter Telescope. The meeting will therefore be an important first step toward developing a shared vision for the project and building a strong Swiss community around it.