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<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Dear Colleagues,</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">  </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">As you are no doubt aware, the number of people in Australia
 and elsewhere with the COVID 19 disease continues to increase. Siding Spring Observatory (SSO) is putting in place measures to continue operations as the disease spreads. However, I do wish to advise you that operations may have to change or indeed stop as
 the situation develops. The health of staff at the Observatory and the community is our top priority.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Observing from SSO is currently permitted, but we recommend that you observe remotely, if you are able to do so. If you need to travel to SSO to observe, please contact SSO at</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><a href="mailto:admin-sso@mso.anu.edu.au"><span style="color:#954F72">admin-sso@mso.anu.edu.au</span></a>.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">For the AAT, remote observing is currently available from 6 national (USQ, ICRAR, ANU, UNSW, Swinburne, MQ) and 2 international locations. In anticipation that these remote observing sites will become
 unavailable, we will allow remote observing from other locations. Given that the bandwidth and screen real estate may be far less than that available at the official remote observing stations, this will be restricted to experienced AAT observers, and it will
 be judged on a case-by-case basis. Please send such requests to<span class="xapple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:admin-sso@mso.anu.edu.au"><span style="color:#954F72">admin-sso@mso.anu.edu.au</span></a>.<span class="xapple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">For the 2.3m, remote observing is already available from any location.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">As the disease spreads, we can anticipate that operations at SSO will be affected. </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="xmsolistparagraph" style="color:black;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt">We may not have sufficient staff to do a top end change at the AAT, in which case the change to the top end will be delayed, or brought forward, thus leading to the cancellation or postponement of some observing runs
 and bringing other runs forward</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="xmsolistparagraph" style="color:black;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt">We may not have sufficient critical staff (night assistants and afternoon shift technicians) to continue operations at the AAT, in which case operations at the AAT will cease.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="xmsolistparagraph" style="color:black;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt">All SSO staff may be required to self-isolate in which case operations at the AAT, 2.3m, and SkyMapper will cease, instruments will be warmed up, and there will be no technical support for external tenants (e.g. UKST).</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="xmsolistparagraph" style="mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:36.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">The situation is fluid and may change quickly.  </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">Chris Lidman<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><i><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">A/Professor Chris Lidman</span></i><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><i><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Director, Siding Spring Observatory, </span></i><i><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#515151">Research
 School of Astronomy and Astrophysics,</span></i><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><i><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#515151">The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia</span></i><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><i><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#515151">Work: +61-2-6125-0238</span></i><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black"><a href="mailto:Christopher.Lidman@anu.edu.au"><i><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">Christopher.Lidman@anu.edu.au</span></i></a></span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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