|
The National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO) invites
proposals for operation of the 0.9-m, 1.3-m and 1.5-m telescopes at Cerro
Tololo Inter-American Observatory.
Because NOAO is increasing support for US users of the Gemini
telescopes and for new community-based projects such as LSST and GSMT, and
because CTIO operations are increasingly focused on the Blanco and SOAR 4-m
telescopes, CTIO plans to decrease its responsibilities for operating small
telescopes.
In order to provide an opportunity for continued operations of
the 0.9-m, 1.3-m, and 1.5-m telescopes, proposals are invited from institutions
or consortia that are prepared to assume the full responsibility --- technical,
scientific, and financial --- for operations of these telescopes.
In order to achieve economies of scale and
to maximize scientific output, proposals to operate all three small telescopes
as a group are strongly preferred. Institutions with interest in only a single
telescope, or desiring only
a portion of the available observing time, should consider partnerships with
other institutions.
CTIO wishes to retain some access for its users to a CCD imaging
capability similar to that presently offered at the 0.9-m telescope. In exchange for providing the three
telescopes and associated instrumentation, CTIO would retain access to 25% of
the total observing time, integrated over all three telescopes, with at least
half of this time being for CCD imaging.
This time will be allocated through normal NOAO observing
proposals. In addition, Chilean
astronomers are entitled to 10% of the observing time.
Provision of the telescopes and current instrumentation would be
the extent of NOAO's contribution.
Continued operation and maintenance of all items will be the
responsibility of the proposer.
Proposers are also urged to plan for early replacement of the 0.9-m
telescope control system.
Proposals should be for operations of these three telescopes for
an initial 3-year period, preferably starting in semester 2003A.
Specifications
for the telescopes and estimated operations costs are available
here.
Factors to be included in the proposal evaluation include:
(1) Quality and significance of the proposed scientific programs
(2) Educational impact of the proposed use
(3) Plans for additional instrumentation for the telescopes
(4) Plans for public outreach
(5) Technical and financial resources available to ensure that the
proposed program will be implemented successfully
(6) Benefit to NOAO users
(7) Benefit to the collective operations and scientific environment
of Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon.
Letters of intent to submit a proposal should be sent to Malcolm
Smith and are due by March 31 2002.
Proposals are due by May 31 2002.
Electronic submissions are preferred.
Proposals will be reviewed by an independent panel of astronomers, and
it is expected that the results will be announced before June 30 2002.
Malcolm Smith
(msmith@noao.edu)
|