[ASA] Call for Magellan Proposals in Semester 2014A

[Australian Gemini Office]

Proposals for Australian access to the Magellan telescopes for Semester 
2014A
(mid-Jan - mid-Jul 2014) are due by *5:00pm AEST, Tuesday 8 October 2013*.

(A separate call for Gemini and Subaru proposals in Semester 2014A with a
1 October 2013 deadline was issued last week - please see
http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/pipermail/asa/2013-September/000348.html)


What's new for Semester 2014A?
------------------------------

  * There will likely be a single f/5 run with Megacam (and with MMIRS
    if the demand warrants it) in 2014A, as well as a single adaptive
    optics (AO) science verification run with VisAO and Clio2. These
    runs will very likely be scheduled in the March - May 2014 time
    frame. In order to assist the scheduling of any approved f/5 or AO
    proposals, *any PI planning to apply for observing time with
    MegaCam, MMIRS, or AO in 2014A should send an e-mail by Monday 22
    Sep* to ausgo at aao.gov.au with a short (2 or 3 paragraph) summary of
    your project and some indication of the RA distribution of your
    objects. Note that whenever either the wide-field f/5, or the AO
    adaptive secondary mirror are mounted on the Clay telescope, none of
    the f/11 instruments (MIKE, MagE, LDSS3, PFS, M2FS) are available.
  * The Magellan Adaptive Optics (MagAO
    <https://visao.as.arizona.edu/observers/>) facility is a new natural
    guide star system for the Clay telescope that uses a high-order
    wavefront sensor and adaptive secondary mirror to deliver near
    diffraction-limited imaging performance with either an optical
    (VisAO
    <https://visao.as.arizona.edu/software_files/visao/html/visao_userguide.html>)
    or an infrared (Clio2
    <http://zero.as.arizona.edu/groups/clio2usermanual/>) camera. Those
    interested in using MagAO in shared-risks mode in 2014A should
    contact Laird Close (lclose at as.arizona.edu) before submitting a
    proposal.
  * The MMIRS detector will be upgraded in 2013B so MMIRS will be
    offered in shared-risks mode in 2014A. The new Hawaii-2RG array will
    offer QE in Y, J, H, and K of 80%, 78%, 82%, and 80%, respectively,
    together with lower read-noise, dark current, cross-talk, and
    persistence. Note that the instrument may be moved to the MMT as
    early as 2014B for at least a couple of years.
  * The Michigan/Magellan Fibre System (M2FS
    <http://ircamera.as.arizona.edu/TAC/M2FS_2013B.pdf>) is a new
    fiber-fed, multi-object, optical spectrograph with both high
    (R~20,000) and low (300 < R < 4,000) resolution modes offering full
    wavelength coverage from 370 to 950nm for up to 256 objects over a
    30 arcmin field of view. M2FS is a PI instrument and will only be
    available via collaborative arrangement with the instrument team.
    Contact Mario Mateo (mmateo at umich.edu) before submitting a proposal.
  * So as not to inadvertently preclude high-impact science that can be
    done in a short time, *the previous two-night minimum length on time
    requests has been reduced to half a night*. The AAO and AAL have
    secured funds from the Federal government's Collaborative Research
    Infrastructure Scheme
    <http://www.innovation.gov.au/Science/ResearchInfrastructure/Pages/CRIS.aspx>
    (CRIS) to ensure that Australian users of Magellan awarded observing
    time by ATAC are able to travel to take up that opportunity.


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

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

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



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

For any enquiries about Australian usage of Magellan please contact the Australian Gemini Office (ausgo at aao.gov.au).


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



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