[ASA] 2026B AAT Call for Proposals

Tue Apr 7 13:33:49 AEST 2026

Internal

2026B Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) Call for Proposals

The Call for Proposals for the AAT process is outlined below. Please read these instructions carefully. For further information, please read the proposal web page<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/rL-KC0YKPviMgzWg4UwfXT9nPQR?domain=aat.anu.edu.au> or email any questions to AATscheduler at mso.anu.edu.au<mailto:AATscheduler at mso.anu.edu.au>.

The proposal deadline for AAT Time in Semester 2026B (1 August 2026 – 31 January 2026) is:
30 April 2026, at 17:00
Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC + 11 hrs)
25% of observing time in 2026B is open and allocated on merit to all Australian-based researchers through the Time Allocation Committee process managed by AAL.

Night Availability
There will be approximately 18 Dark, 10 Grey and 18 Bright nights available in 2026B for open time allocation. Note that this is using a new definition for dark, grey and bright time as described below.

Proposals are submitted to the AAT's online application system Lens<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/6XBtCgZ0N1imwJWwNtohrT4wKlz?domain=lens.datacentral.org.au>.

Instrument Availability
Available AAT instruments include: Hector, KOALA and Veloce.
Hector and Veloce will continue to be offered on a shared-risk basis until they are fully accepted by the Observatory.
2dF instrument will not offered for the Open Time allocation in 2026B.
Additional instrumentation status information and updates are available on the AAT instrumentation website<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/CdrcCjZ1N7i3G0JGAf5iPTmCvYm?domain=aat.anu.edu.au>.

Important information:

1. Access and scheduling of the AAT time in 2026B
From semester 2026B, 25% of observing time is open and allocated on merit to all Australian-based researchers through the Time Allocation Committee process managed by AAL.
Note that successful applicants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs to the observatory. Some funding for student travel and accommodation is available.

1.5 Reinstatement of Target of Opportunity in 2026B
Given the start of Rubin, transient science has become even more important. Given this the AAT Council have decided to reinstate the possibility for Target of Opportunity (ToO) proposals. 2026B will be a pilot program to demonstrate the capability of the AAT for ToO observations. ToO time in 2026B will be limited to 15 hours in the trial phase with maximum 10 overrides of 1–2 hours each throughout the entire semester. ToO proposals are to be submitted as  described below, but with a note that this is a ToO proposal, and time will be allocated by ATAC up to the agreed time cap for any successful proposals.

2. Proposal preparation
Due to the reduction in expert assistance at the telescope, proposers are required to describe the relevant experience and expertise of the team with the instrument(s) being applied for. Observers are encouraged to liaise with Observatory staff sufficiently in advance of their run to gain such training.
Based upon historical weather trends, about 33% of time is lost to bad weather. Proposers are therefore required to multiply their time requirement by a factor of 1.5 to allow for time lost to weather.

3. Lens proposal submission system
Proposals should be submitted with the AAT's online application system Lens<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/6XBtCgZ0N1imwJWwNtohrT4wKlz?domain=lens.datacentral.org.au/>. This system is a user-account-based system, which allows for improved security and better tracking of past and current proposals. All new users must register with the system. Note that users cannot be added to proposals if they are not registered in Lens. Please make sure that all investigators on a proposal have registered well before the deadline!
Lens system has recently been transitioned into Data Central. We are in the process of implementing a new version of Lens, which has a different look but unchanged functionality.
Any Lens related problems/bugs should be reported at LENS/AAT Service Desk<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/KomKCk81N9trXv0X4u9s2TGpHJ6?domain=aaomq.atlassian.net>.
Other queries such as account issues should be submitted to the Data Central Service Desk<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/pVKSClx1NjiAPlKPki1t9TzwnmX?domain=aaomq.atlassian.net>.
For any additional queries, comments, and the user support please contact the ATAC Technical Secretary<mailto:aat at astronomyaustralia.org.au>.

4. Remote Observing
Remote observing is possible from several AAT remote observing stations. An experienced AAT observer can also observe from home using an appropriate setup. Observers who are not experienced with their requested instrument may need to find additional help or prior training, which may require eavesdropping on other observations that use the same instrument.
Remote observing stations are listed at the remote observing webpage<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/hGVICmO5gluAPqYP6iDuXTRQltC?domain=aat.anu.edu.au>. The Observatory is open to establishing new remote observing stations.

5. Redefinition or Dark, Grey and Bright nights
The current definition measures the fraction of time the Moon is above the horizon
between –12° solar elevations. Given that dark time observations only become feasible past astronomical twilight, AAT’s definitions are to be updated to use the fraction of Moon-up time
between –18° solar elevations, matching the fully dark portion of the night.
In practise, this means an increase in dark nights per semester and a decrease in grey and bright nights.

How to Apply for AAT Time
All applicants are encouraged to check the ATAC Policies and Procedures<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/jUVzCnx1jniK3VL3xUpCpTJm26n?domain=astronomyaustralia.org.au>, latest Instrumentation Status<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/CdrcCjZ1N7i3G0JGAf5iPTmCvYm?domain=aat.anu.edu.au> for the AAT and recent Policy Announcements<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/a2weCoV1kpfBPmGP8u7F3TpUuST?domain=aat.anu.edu.au>. In particular, the policies about AAT time changed in 2025, please ensure you review the current information.
For further clarification on any issue, please contact the ATAC Technical Secretary<mailto:aat at astronomyaustralia.org.au>.
Proposal submission details
Prepare your main proposal offline, including a title, an abstract, the instrument set up, the number of nights split according to partner and lunation, target list, science case, and technical justification. The science case and technical justification together should be in PDF format, no more than three pages total. Other document formats will not be accepted. Those three pages should include all references and figures, use 11pt font (or larger), and have at least 10mm margins. Colour figures are accepted.
Numerical referencing should be used (e.g. as shown by [1], instead of as shown by Smith et al. (2017)).
A list of the principal targets (field centres for wide-field programs) should be prepared as a separate PDF document. The target list should contain target name, RA (h m s), Dec (d m s), target brightness, and priority. There is a 2-page limit for this target list PDF file. Other document formats will not be accepted.
If feasible, please provide a list of backup targets that can be observed in the weather conditions that are worse than required for the principal targets. Any backup project must use the same instrument as the main project. More information on backup considerations can be found in Guidelines for AAT Observers.<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/cUkcCp81lrtvOZLOyfxHBTGKEtV?domain=aat.anu.edu.au>

Submitting your proposal
When your proposal details are ready, and approved by the Partner institute of the PI and all other Partner institutions involved, submit your application through Lens<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/6XBtCgZ0N1imwJWwNtohrT4wKlz?domain=lens.datacentral.org.au/>, the AAT's online proposal submission system. As noted above, this is a user-account-based system and all investigators on a proposal must be registered.

 Acknowledgements
 The AAT Consortium requests all publications based upon data obtained through the AAT include the following acknowledgement:
 Based [in part] on data obtained at Siding Spring Observatory [via program XXX]. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which the AAT stands, the Gamilaraay people, and pay our respects to elders past and present.

Contacting the ATAC Secretariat
Email: brent.groves at astronomyaustralia.org.au<mailto:brent.groves at astronomyaustralia.org.au>, lucyna.chudczer at astronomyaustralia.org.au<mailto:lucyna.chudczer at astronomyaustralia.org.au>
Web: https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/HMdRCq71mwfzkvrkRfpIvTEdLIY?domain=astronomyaustralia.org.au<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/OAjqCr81nyt1nOjn6C3S3T473g9?domain=protect-au.mimecast.com>

Dr Brent Groves (He/Him)
Program Manager
Astronomy Australia Ltd (Perth Office)
https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/WeI3Cvl1rKi2LZgL4ugT4TQ7KRS?domain=astronomyaustralia.org.au

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AAL endeavours to be an environmentally sustainable organisation built upon equity, diversity and mutual respect for its staff and stakeholders.

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