[ASA] Call for Proposals for Australian community access to the Keck telescopes in Semester 2016A

[International Telescopes Support Office]

      Call for Proposals for Australian community access to the Keck
      telescopes in Semester 2016A


Proposals for Australian community access to the Keck telescopes
in Hawaii for Semester 2016A (1 Feb - 31 July 2016) are due by

*5:00pm AEST, Thursday 10 September 2015.**
*
Separate calls for Gemini and Magellan proposals in Semester 2016A
(with proposal deadlines of 30 Sep and 7 Oct, respectively) will be
issued shortly.


          Background

In 2015 Astronomy Australia Ltd (AAL) announced that a total of
fifteen nights per year on the Keck telescopes will be available to
Australian-based astronomers during 2016 and 2017 via a national
program. This time has been made available by the W. M. Keck
Observatory to AAL via the Australian National University. The
collaboration is made possible through the support of the Australian
Government's National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy,
via the Department of Education and Training, and an Australian
Government astronomy research infrastructure grant, via the Department
of Industry and Science. AAL has engaged the Australian Astronomical
Observatory's International Telescope Support Office to manage and
support this programme within Australia.

In addition, the Australian National University (ANU), Swinburne
University of Technology (SUT) and AAL, who each have access to
fifteen nights per year on Keck, have agreed to form the Keck Time
Allocation Committee (KTAC). KTAC will provide a single interface for
Australian-based astronomers who wish to request access to the total of
forty-five Keck-nights available per year in 2016 and 2017. This model
is designed to facilitate larger programmes and broader collaborations
to maximise the scientific return from Australia's engagement with the
Keck telescopes. All Australian-based astronomers are eligible for AAL
time on Keck, including those at SUT and ANU.


          How to apply

Details on how to prepare and submit a KTAC application for 2016A,
as well as a summary of instrumentation on offer can be found at

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

Applicants should also consult the Keck Observatory instrument
availability page (http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/observing/instavail.html)
and the Keck Observatory pages for individual instruments
(http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/inst/index.php) for more complete information.

Principal Investigators granted AAL time by KTAC will be expected to
travel to the Keck Observatory headquarters in Waimea on the Big
Island of Hawaii. Suitably-experienced observers are invited to make
use of the dedicated Keck remote observing facilities at SUT or at
ANU. ITSO will reimburse observer travel costs where institutional
support for Keck observing is not otherwise available.


          Need Help?

For general enquiries concerning Australian access to Keck, please
contact the International Telescopes Support Office (itso at aao.gov.au).
For enquiries about a specific instrument please contact the instrument
master listed on each instrument's home page, or contact the ITSO to be
directed to a local expert if you need a rapid response.


Stuart Ryder
Head of International Telescopes Support
itso at aao.gov.au


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*As of 1 July 2015, the Australian Gemini Office is now the 
International Telescopes Support Office. Please update your e-mail 
address book to use "itso at aao.gov.au" in place of "ausgo at aao.gov.au".*

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