From ausgo at aao.gov.au Tue Aug 21 10:48:37 2012 From: ausgo at aao.gov.au (Australian Gemini Office) Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:48:37 +1000 Subject: [ASA] First Announcement: The 2012 Australian Gemini and Magellan Science Symposium In-Reply-To: <5032DA23.2020102@aao.gov.au> References: <5032DA23.2020102@aao.gov.au> Message-ID: <5032DAE5.7070609@aao.gov.au> The 2012 Australian Gemini and Magellan Science Symposium Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 October 2012 Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne The Australian Gemini Office and Astronomy Australia Limited are pleased to announce the 2012 Australian Gemini and Magellan Science Symposium. Australian astronomers have had access to the twin Gemini Observatory 8m telescopes for just over a decade, and to the twin Magellan 6.5m telescopes for almost half as long. Australian access to Gemini is now assured through until the end of 2015, and funding has been secured for an extension of Magellan access beyond mid-2013. A suite of new instruments including GSAOI , FLAMINGOS-2 , GRACES , GPI , and new CCDs for GMOS will become available on Gemini in 2013. It is therefore timely to reflect on the scientific highlights from Australian usage of these facilities, and to consider new and innovative ways to exploit these facilities technologically and strategically. The Symposium will feature invited and contributed talks from leading Australian users of the Gemini and Magellan telescopes. The Gemini Science and Technology Advisory Committee (STAC) is helping the Gemini Observatory and the new Director with developing a Long Range Plan for future capabilities. To assist the STAC in this process there will also be symposium sessions devoted to presenting and discussing new instrument concepts for Gemini and their science cases. The Symposium is open to everyone, and not just to current Gemini and Magellan users. Students and early-career researchers in particular are encouraged to attend. There will be no registration fee, and lunch, morning and afternoon teas will be provided. To register, please email Stuart Ryder (ausgo at aao.gov.au) by *5 October 2012*, indicating whether you would like to present either Gemini or Magellan science results or an instrumentation concept, and if you would prefer a talk or a poster. Further details on the symposium, including location details and accommodation options, are available on the symposium web page: http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/symp2012/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Lister.Staveley-Smith at icrar.org Thu Aug 23 17:25:24 2012 From: Lister.Staveley-Smith at icrar.org (Lister Staveley-Smith) Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:25:24 +0800 Subject: [ASA] CAASTRO GPU training workshop - a few extra places available Message-ID: GPU Training Workshop 8-9 October 2012 ICRAR/UWA CAASTRO Node, Perth We have a few spare places left at CAASTRO's GPU training workshop on 8 and 9 October in Perth. If any ASA members would like to attend, please apply to the CAASTRO/UWA administrative officer Katie Lau (katie.lau at icrar.org) by AUGUST 29, stating your current level of programming proficiency and how you would apply the training. Note that a minimum requirement for attendance is a knowledge of C and a good overall understanding of programming. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee there will be sufficient places for all applicants. Details of the workshop program are available on the CAASTRO web site at http://www.caastro.org/event/gpu-training-workshop CAASTRO will provide two nights' college accommodation for interstate participants, and will cover the cost of most meals. Travel and other costs are the responsibility of the participant's institute. Applicants will be contacted by Sept 4. Regards Lister Staveley-Smith CAASTRO Deputy Director -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From aatac at aao.gov.au Fri Aug 24 16:55:41 2012 From: aatac at aao.gov.au (AAT Technical Secretary (Gayandhi De Silva)) Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2012 16:55:41 +1000 Subject: [ASA] CTIO/DECam time-swap Proposal call (Semester 2013A): deadline 5PM, 14 September 2012 In-Reply-To: <16A06060-7A9F-4C68-B36B-29F1E91C9084@physics.uq.edu.au> References: <50344717.9040603@aao.gov.au> <16A06060-7A9F-4C68-B36B-29F1E91C9084@physics.uq.edu.au> Message-ID: <5037256D.30802@aao.gov.au> CTIO/DECam time-swap proposals in Semester 2013A The proposal deadline for DECam time in Semester 13A (1 February 2013 to 31 July 2013) is: Friday, 14 September 2013, at 17:00** (AEST, i.e. UTC + 10 hrs) ** Note the closing time is 17:00 on the *14th* September. The AAO and NOAO/CTIO have initiated a time-swap arrangement, to allow our respective communities to maximise the scientific facilities and opportunities to which we have access. The DECam imager on the 4m Blanco telescope is being offered in a shared-risk mode, and will only be available after Science Verification has been completed. All scheduled observations in 13A will be carried out *in classical mode* with observers required to travel to the telescope. In Semester 13A there will be 15 nights of DECam time available to the Australian community. Those who wish to apply for this time should do so using the regular AAT online proposal form available from the 1st of September at: http://www.aao.gov.au/astro/apply/ATAC_AAT.html and select CTIO/DECam in the "instrument" section of the proposal. The standard 3 page proposal page limits and recommendations regarding technical justifications should be followed. The proposals will be assessed by ATAC, and graded proposals provided to CTIO for scheduling. Links to the DECam webpages for further information about the telescope and camera capabilities are given below, and will also be available from the proposal form: http://www.ctio.noao.edu/noao/content/dark-energy-camera-decam -- Gayandhi de Silva AAT Technical Secretary aatts - at - aao.gov.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From aatac at aao.gov.au Fri Aug 24 16:56:07 2012 From: aatac at aao.gov.au (AAT Technical Secretary (Gayandhi De Silva)) Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2012 16:56:07 +1000 Subject: [ASA] AAT Proposal Call (Semester 2013A): deadline 5PM, 14 September 2012 Message-ID: <50372587.4030004@aao.gov.au> Call for AAT proposals in Semester 2013A The proposal deadline for AAT time in Semester 13A (1 February 2013 to 31 July 2013) is: Friday, 14 September 2012, at 17:00** (AEST, i.e. UTC + 10 hrs) ** Note the closing time is 17:00 on the *14th* of September. Proposals can be submitted from the 1st of September 2012 using the AAT online proposal form, and are welcome from astronomers worldwide. General information on applying for AAT time can be found at: http://www.aao.gov.au/astro/apply/ATAC_AAT.html --------------------------------------------------------------------- Important notes for 13A applicants: * A call for Large Programs will NOT be made in Semester 13A. We expect significant down-time in 13A while commissioning HERMES and anticipate the next call for Large Programs will be no earlier than Semester 13B. * Long-term proposals requesting< 50 nights in total are still accepted. Please contact the ATAC Secretary, Helen Woods (hmw - at - aao.gov.au) well in advance of submitting this kind of proposal. * The number of available AAT nights for 13A is approximately: Bright: 33, Grey: 32 and Dark: 61. This is the current best estimate based on instrument needs. However the actual numbers may vary between now and the final telescope schedule. -- Gayandhi de Silva AAT Technical Secretary aatts - at - aao.gov.au