[ASA] Call for Gemini, Subaru, and Magellan Proposals in Semester 2013A

[Australian Gemini Office]

Proposals for Australian access to the Gemini and Subaru telescopes for Semester 2013A
(1 Feb - 31 Jul 2013) are due by*5:00pm AEST, Tuesday 2 October 2012*

Australian proposals for Magellan time in Semester 2013A (mid-Jan - mid-Jul 2013)
are due by*5:00pm AEST, Tuesday 9th October 2012*

(These deadlines are slightly later than usual to avoid falling on weekends
or public holidays)



What's new for Semester 2013A?
------------------------------

  * Minor improvements have been made to the completely new Phase I Tool
    <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/observing-gemini/proposal-submission/phase-i-tool-pit>
    that was introduced in 2012B. *ATAC applicants must now prepare
    their scientific and technical justification using either the Gemini
    default LaTeX style file (GemPhase1_13A.sty
    <http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/GemPhase1_13A.sty>) and proposal template
    (GemPhase1.tex <http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/GemPhase1.tex>), or Gemini
    default Word template (GemPhase1.doc
    <http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/GemPhase1.doc>)* as used by all partners
    except the US, then upload this as a PDF attachment using the PIT.
    *There is now a limit of one page of text for the scientific
    justification; up to 2 more pages of figures, tables, and
    references; and one page for the technical justification*.
  * The RSAA-built Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager (GSAOI
    <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gsaoi/?q=sciops/instruments/gsaoi>)
    on the Gemini Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics System (GeMS
    <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gems>) is being offered
    for early science from February to April 2013, limiting RAs to 6.5h
    - 19h, and declination to -70 to +10 degrees. Availability is
    dependent on successful System Verification (SV) during 2012B. An SV
    call for 2012B
    <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gems/system-verification>
    has been issued. 80 to 100 hours are available in 2013A as "shared
    risk" since instrument availability and data quality cannot be
    guaranteed, and reduced observing efficiency is expected.
  * After a major refurbishment in 2012B, GNIRS
    <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gnirs> is available in all
    modes except those requiring the short red camera. This will exclude
    science at wavelengths 2.9 to 5.5 microns with the 0.15
    arcsecond/pixel scale. Some of this science can be done using the
    long red camera with the smaller pixel scale (or higher resolution
    for spectroscopy). GNIRS will be removed at the end of 2013A for a
    lens replacement; although the exact date will be driven by demand,
    applicants with targets at RA 22h to 1h are advised to have backup
    targets available at earlier RA.
  * This is likely to be the last A semester that NICI
    <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/nici/?q=sciops/instruments/nici>
    will be offered, with the arrival of GPI
    <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gpi/?q=sciops/instruments/gpi>
    anticipated midway through 2013.
  * GMOS-South <http://www.gemini.edu/node/10625> may be removed at the
    end of 2013A for replacement of the original E2V CCDs with new
    red-sensitive Hamamatsu CCDs
    <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gmos/imaging/detector-array/gmosn-array-hamamatsu>;
    although the exact date will be driven by demand, applicants with
    targets at RA 0h to 2h are advised to have backup targets available.
  * A new CCD camera with much-improved red sensitivity
    <http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/LDSS3_presentation.pdf> for LDSS3 on
    Magellan is due to be commissioned late in 2012, and available in
    2013A. Interested PIs should contact Jacob Bean
    (jbean at cfa.harvard.edu) before applying.


How to apply
------------

Gemini applications must be submitted using the 2013A release of the Phase I Tool (PIT) software. Subaru applications are also submitted using the PIT. For full details on instrument availability and application procedures, please see:

http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/cfp.html

as well as the official Gemini Observatory Call for Proposals:

http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/observing-gemini/2013a-call-proposals

Further information about Magellan instrumentation, travel funding, and the application procedure is described at:

http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/magellan.html



Need help?
----------

For general enquiries about Australian usage of Gemini, Magellan, or Subaru, please contact the Australian Gemini Office (ausgo at aao.gov.au). For technical queries about a Gemini Phase I proposal, please use the Gemini Helpdesk:

http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/helpdesk/




Stuart Ryder
Australian Gemini Scientist
ausgo at aao.gov.au

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